California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II) og Brief Visuospatial Memory Test- Revised (BVMT-R): Undersøkelse av prestasjoner og samsvar i et klinisk utvalg

Abstract

Background: The California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT-II) and the Brief Visuospatial Memory Test- Revised (BVMT-R) are two widely used tests of learning and memory in clinical and research settings. The former has an official Norwegian translation and an established psychometric and clinical validity. The latter does not have any known clinical tryouts in Norway. Both tests have a somewhat similar approach to the assessment of memory processes, though through different modalities.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine convergent validity by performing comparative analysis between these two tests on a mixed clinical sample. The study included 110 Norwegian patients referred to extensive neuropsychological evaluation in an outpatient clinic. Correlation analyses between results on similar measures were performed and normative scores was compared. As both test are of an American origin, the study also aimed at further inspecting the validity through examining how test scores are related to demographic variables in the sample.

Results: The correlation between comparable measures of learning and memory were high, which suggest good convergent validity. Inspection of the normative data shows acceptable agreement between the tests. However, the study found no gender effect on the CVLT-II raw scores as expected, which in turn impacted on normative results between men and women on delayed recall. Test performance shows overall expected relationship with demographic variables in both tests.

Conclusion: The study lends support to the usefulness of the two tests as complementary measures on learning and memory in a Norwegian clinical setting.