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M O Pontón

Publications and source records attributed to M O Pontón.

6 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2000

Factor analysis of the Neuropsychological Screening Battery for Hispanics (NeSBHIS).

The Neuropsychological Screening Battery for Hispanics (NeSBHIS; Pontón et al., 1996) was developed to provide clinicians and researchers with appropriate tests and norms to assess the Latino population. However, the construct validity of the NeSBHIS is unclear, and its clinical utility is untested. This study provides data on the construct validity of this battery via factor analytic methodology. Five factors were identified: (a) a language factor, which included the Controlled Oral Word Association Test, the Pontón-Satz Boston Naming Test, and the Escala de Inteligencia Wechsler para Adultos (EIWA; Wechsler, Green, & Martinez, 1968) Digit Span; (b) a verbal learning factor, which included all the World Health Organization--University of California, Los Angeles Auditory Verbal Learning Test scores (Trials V, VII, and VIII); (c) an attentional-mental control factor, which included the EIWA Digit Symbol, Color Trails 1 and 2, and the EIWA Block Design; (d) a visuospatial factor, made up of the Rey-Osterrieth Complex Figure Test Copy and Memory and the Raven's Standard Progressive Matrices total score; and (e) a psychomotor factor, the Pin Test. This was a stable factor structure, suggesting that the NeSBHIS has a robust construct validity.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1999

The future of neuropsychology with Hispanic populations in the United States.

This article discusses neuropsychology within the Spanish-speaking world; it reviews its recent history, existing efforts, and future directions. It also addresses the practice of neuropsychology with Hispanics in the United States and posits that it should take into account the heterogeneity of this population (the largest minority group in the country). Hispanic heterogeneity includes, among other variables, ethnicity, language, acculturation, age and education. Data from current research suggest that these are relevant variables affecting the psychometrics of cognition and therefore, the practice of neuropsychology with this population. Suggestions for future research are also addressed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1999

Patterns of American immigration and their influence on the acquisition of neuropsychological norms for Hispanics.

This article examines patterns of legal American immigration (migrations to the United States from abroad) and their direct impact on the acquisition of neuropsychological (NP) normative data for Hispanics. The nonrandom and selective nature of these migrations, and their accompanying demographic attributes, are shown to significantly influence the acquisition process. Specifically, the direct impact of several potential sources of bias while procuring NP norms is explored. Total number of immigrants (absolute immigration), occupational allegiance (and possibly education), and intended area of initial residence seem to play influential roles as a result of their direct impact on demographic characteristics known to have significant effects on neuropsychological performance. Possible solutions capable of enhancing the acquisition process are also addressed.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1998

Factor analysis of four measures of prefrontal lobe functioning.

The Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Stroop Test, Verbal Fluency (FAS), and Auditory Consonant Trigrams are commonly used measures of prefrontal lobe dysfunction. However, insufficient data are available regarding the specific functions assessed by these tests and the relationship of the tests to each other. These four tests, as well as measures of IQ, memory, attention, and processing speed, were administered to 250 subjects (138 patients and 112 controls). Factor analysis yielded three factors, and a higher order frontal lobe factor, using a dimensional factor analytic methodology. Present findings revealed modest correlations among the prefrontal tests, suggesting that the tests tap somewhat different abilities and are not redundant. Adequate assessment of prefrontal lobe abilities appears to require use of more than one test.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1996

Normative data stratified by age and education for the Neuropsychological Screening Battery for Hispanics (NeSBHIS): Initial report.

Neuropsychological assessment of monolingual Spanish-speaking people in the United States is both a common practice and an ethical dilemma. Lack of appropriate tests, the absence of norms, use of interpreters, and the multiplicity of in-house translations of commonly used measures add to the problem of accurate assessment. This paper helps address the lack of appropriate measures for the neuropsychological assessment of Latinos in the United States by providing a standardization of the Neuropsychological Screening Battery for Hispanics (NeSBHIS). Normative data on a sample of 300 Hispanic subjects stratified by gender, age, and education are provided. Current results reveal that not one measure of cognitive functioning is free from education effects. Both nonverbal measures and psychomotor speed measures were highly related to education. Age effects were noted on measures of psychomotor speed, visuospatial reasoning, and visuoconstructive skills. Gender effects were found on measures of psychomotor speed and language, with males achieving higher scores than females. The limitations of the current findings are considered. Further research for the validation of the NeSBHIS with clinical populations, as well as further normative data collection at the national and international levels, is needed.

Adolescent↗