A preliminary examination of the psychometrics and cognitive correlates of an abbreviated version of the verbal naming test administered via telephone

Arch Clin Neuropsychol. 2026 May 6;41(4):acag039. doi: 10.1093/arclin/acag039.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Confrontational naming is an important part of many neuropsychological evaluations. Yet, data on the feasibility and psychometric properties of telephone-based confrontational verbal naming tests (VNTs) are quite limited. The current study conducted a preliminary, exploratory examination of the psychometrics and correlates of an abbreviated version of the 50-item VNT administered via telephone.

METHOD: Participants were 220 healthy adults, including 110 younger adults (ages 18-35) and 110 middle-aged to older adults (ages 50-85). Participants completed a 15-item version of the VNT as part of a broader telephone-based cognitive battery.

RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis suggested support for a 12-item model of the VNT (VNT-T12) with acceptable fit. VNT-T12 scores were negatively skewed and demonstrated good internal consistency. A quantile regression predicting VNT-T12 from domain-level cognitive variables showed that executive functions (e.g., verbal fluency) and fund of verbal knowledge were significantly and positively associated with VNT-T12 scores at most percentile ranges. The VNT-T12 scores were also significantly associated with race/ethnicity and English as a second language at higher quantiles of performance. Demographically-adjusted coefficients and an associated calculator are provided as a normative resource.

CONCLUSIONS: Findings provide mixed and preliminary support for the feasibility, psychometrics, and validity of a 12-item VNT administered via telephone. Future research on the psychometrics and validity of the VNT-T12 is warranted in samples with lower levels of education and in clinical populations.

PMID:42184122 | DOI:10.1093/arclin/acag039