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Description
An issue facing the field of neuropsychology is the proper assessment of cognitive function in ethnically diverse populations. This issue becomes of utmost importance when considering by the year 2055, the U.S. will not have an ethnic group in the majority. Most neuropsychological tests have been validated and normed for English-speaking Anglo-Americans; therefore, their utility with ethnically diverse populations has not been adequately researched. Numerous studies have found performance differences between ethnically diverse groups and Anglo-Americans on various neuropsychological assessments. Failure to acknowledge the influence of ethnicity on test performance could lead to misdiagnoses by clinicians. Additionally, acculturation factors have been associated with performance on neuropsychological tests, such that the more assimilated individuals from different ethnicities are into American culture, the better they would perform. Psychologists have tried to address ethnic disparities on neuropsychological measures by testing individuals in their native languages. However, few studies have examined the performance of Iranian Americans, a growing population of the U.S., on neuropsychological assessments in either English or Farsi (their native language). The Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) is one of the most widely used neuropsychological tests to measure cognitive function. Due to ease and rapidity of administration, as well as minimal required training, the MMSE is used by a range of health care professionals in varied settings. It has been validated and shown to be reliable in a variety of different languages. However, no studies have compared the performance of Iranian Americans on the MMSE when administered in English or Farsi. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the performance of Iranian Americans on the MMSE when completed in English versus Farsi. The purpose was to see if performance would be comparable for both groups or if cultural and linguistic factors would affect their performance. In addition, factors that have been known to influence MMSE scores, such as acculturation, socioeconomic status (SES), age, and education were examined. Sixty healthy, fully bilingual Iranian Americans between the ages of 20-79 years participated in the study. Each participant was randomly assigned into a language condition. Half of the participants completed the MMSE in Farsi and half completing it in English. Participants then completed the Acculturation Rating Scale for Iranian/Persian Americans and two Scales of Subjective Social Status, which measure perceived SES, in either language, per their choice. Statistical analyses revealed no significant difference between Iranian Americans completing the MMSE in English or Farsi. Age was the only significant predictor of MMSE scores, indicating that MMSE scores significantly decreased as a function of increased age. The present results suggest the scores of Iranian Americans given the MMSE in English do not vary from those given the MMSE in Farsi. In comparison with the established English norms, Iranian Americans completing the MMSE in English or Farsi were not uniquely different from the age and education adjusted norms. The findings of the current study add to the limited body of research focusing on Iranian Americans and support the use of the MMSE in this population.
