Assessment of verbal memory in Spanish-speaking elders: development of two frequency-matched list learning tests

Because the percentage of the population speaking Spanish primarily or exclusively has increased steadily in recent years, the need for neuropsychological measures to assess cognition in these individuals also has grown. We describe two frequency-matched, semantically categorized word lists that were designed to assess verbal memory in Spanish-speakers. The testing procedure consists of five immediate free recall trials and a single delayed free recall trial. These list learning tests were administered to healthy older adults (mean age: 75 years) and preliminary normative data are provided. These measures are likely to be useful in the assessment of verbal memory in Spanish-speaking individuals.