A Systematic Review of Available Normative Data on Neuropsychological Tests for Spanish Speakers in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean, and Spain.

Abstract

Neuropsychological testing is an essential tool in clinical settings engaged in detecting, treating, or preventing neurocognitive disorders around the world. There is a need for accurate norms across cultures, including Latinx/Hispanic communities. We reviewed studies published in English or Spanish focused on acquiring normative data for Spanish-speaking individuals in the United States (U.S.), Latin America and the Caribean (LAC), and Spain. We searched available studies from Embase, PubMed, PsycINFO APA, Science Direct, and ProQuest up to October 31, 2024. Studies were imported to COVIDENCE and reviewed by two Spanish-English bilingual reviewers and one proficient English reviewer. Ultimately, 75 articles were included and categorized into U.S. (n = 23), LAC (n = 21), Spain (n = 23), and multiregional (n = 8) based. Overall, most studies included a cognitively normal/healthy sample to establish the normative data, adjusting or stratifying for age, education, and sex. In Spanish speakers, cognitive performance improved with advancing age in children and adolescents and declined with age in adults. Higher education was also associated with better performance on tests across regions. While this review highlights the increasing accumulation of norms for Spanish-speaking populations, there is a continued need to expand norms to other Spanish-speaking populations not included in this analysis. Future research should add variables, such as acculturation and bilingualism, to aid normative rigor. This review works as a tool to facilitate and improve the understanding of current normative data.