Mayo's older African American normative studies: confirmatory factor analysis of a core battery

J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2005 Mar;11(2):184-91. doi: 10.1017/s1355617705050204.

Abstract

Covariance structure analyses of a core neuropsychological test battery consisting of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised, Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised, and Auditory Verbal Learning Test have previously identified a 5-factor model in a sample of cognitively normal White volunteers from Mayo's Older Americans Normative Studies (MOANS). The present study sought to replicate this factor structure in a sample of 289 cognitively normal, community-dwelling African American elders from Mayo's Older African Americans Normative Studies (MOAANS). The original 5-factor model was tested against 2 alternative 4-factor models and a 6-factor model generated on a substantive basis. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the construct validity of this core battery in older African Americans by replicating the original 5-factor model of Verbal Comprehension, Perceptual Organization, Attention/Concentration, Learning, and Retention as viable in the present sample.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Aging / psychology*
  • Black or African American / psychology*
  • Factor Analysis, Statistical
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neuropsychological Tests / standards*
  • Reference Values
  • United States
  • Verbal Learning
  • Wechsler Scales