The BNT-15 provides an accurate measure of English proficiency in cognitively intact bilinguals – a study in cross-cultural assessment

Abstract

This study was designed to replicate earlier reports of the utility of the Boston Naming Test – Short Form (BNT-15) as an index of limited English proficiency (LEP). Twenty-eight English-Arabic bilingual student volunteers were administered the BNT-15 as part of a brief battery of cognitive tests. The majority (23) were women, and half had LEP. Mean age was 21.1 years. The BNT-15 was an excellent psychometric marker of LEP status (area under the curve: .990–.995). Participants with LEP underperformed on several cognitive measures (verbal comprehension, visuomotor processing speed, single word reading, and performance validity tests). Although no participant with LEP failed the accuracy cutoff on the Word Choice Test, 35.7% of them failed the time cutoff. Overall, LEP was associated with an increased risk of failing performance validity tests. Previously published BNT-15 validity cutoffs had unacceptably low specificity (.33–.52) among participants with LEP. The BNT-15 has the potential to serve as a quick and effective objective measure of LEP. Students with LEP may need academic accommodations to compensate for slower test completion time. Likewise, LEP status should be considered for exemption from failing performance validity tests to protect against false positive errors.

Keywords:

• Cross-cultural assessment
• Boston Naming Test
• bilingualism
• limited English proficiency
• cognitive testing
• performance validity

Acknowledgments

The last author extends his gratitude to Yu-Ling Huang, a bright and dedicated student who inspired certain aspects of the data analysis and interpretation.

Disclosure statement

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