Standardized item selection for alternate computerized versions of Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test(-based) word lists

ABSTRACT

Introduction

Despite an increasing need for new Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT)-based word lists in computerized testing, no criteria or standardized procedures exist for its development. To lay a foundation for future development of new and alternate computerized RAVLT(-based) word lists, we present cross-lingual word criteria, developed new lists using the criteria and evaluated performance on the lists using online assessment.

Method

Based on psycholinguistic literature, we identified relevant word selection criteria. To validate the criteria, we developed two new American-English word lists and one new Dutch list, and administered the RAVLT using visual presentation of the new or original list in an online American (n = 248) and Dutch sample (n = 246) of healthy people. We compared performance of the new and original word lists on trial scores and serial position effects using Bayesian correlations and analyses of variance. Additionally, we compared proportions of correct responses per item, corrected for serial position.

Results

We identified 13 relevant word selection criteria. The criteria led to two new highly comparable American-English word lists with lower trial scores compared to the original American-English list, indicating that the criteria helped to develop parallel lists with fewer associations between items. The new Dutch word list showed similar trial scores, serial position effects, and proportions of correct responses per item corrected for serial position compared to the original Dutch version.

Conclusions

The systematic use of word selection criteria can facilitate development of new parallel word lists, including in new language areas. Future studies should evaluate the use of the word criteria for the other sections of the RAVLT (such as delayed recall and recognition), performance using original test modalities (auditory presentation and recall of words) as well as performance in clinical samples.

KEYWORDS:

• Rey auditory verbal learning test
• item selection
• item-level analysis
• item difficulty
• differential item functioning
• serial position effects

Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the KWF Dutch Cancer Society (grant number: 2015-7937).

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Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, Sanne Schagen, upon reasonable request.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/13803395.2023.2166904

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Dutch Cancer Society, KWF Kankerbestrijding [grant number:2015-7937].