The Factor Structure of the CVLT-C in Pediatric Epilepsy

Abstract

The current study used archival data to evaluate the fit of six latent variable models, originally generated by Donders (1999), for the California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C; Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober, 1994) in a large (N = 289) sample of pediatric epilepsy cases presenting at three tertiary treatment centers. Using confirmatory factor analysis, we found that a model including factors of Attention Span, Learning Efficiency, Free Delayed Recall, Cued Delayed Recall, and Inaccurate Recall demonstrated the best relative fit for our data. These findings are consistent with those reported by Donders (1999) in his reanalysis of the CVLT-C standardization sample data, supporting the validity of this factorial model in pediatric epilepsy populations.

Keywords:

• verbal Learning
• confirmatory factor analysis
• seizure disorders
• children
• pediatric epilepsy
• memory

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This research was supported by a CIHR/Mind Foundation Doctoral Research Grant to the first author and a Vancouver Foundation/B.C. Medical Services Grant to the second author. The authors would like to thank Dr. Paul Steinbok, the Neurosciences Program at B.C. Children's Hospital for infrastructure support during this project, Kim Eyrl for assistance with data entry and record review, and Kathleen Slaney and Joan Foster for assistance with statistical analyses.