WOMEN'S INTERAGENCY HIV STUDY

QUESTION BY QUESTION SPECIFICATIONS

FORM NC06: HOPKINS VERBAL LEARNING TEST-REVISED (HVLT-R)

The Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised (HVLT-R) is being administered to WIHS

participants at 24-month intervals starting at Visit 30 as part of the WIHS-IV Neurocognitive
Protocol. The test should only be administered to participants who are fluent in English and prefer
that their testing be administered in English.
The HVLT-R consists of a Word List, containing 12 words from three taxonomic categories, which
is read aloud to the participant at the rate of approximately one word every two seconds. The
Immediate Recall test includes three learning trials. Delayed Recall is assessed 20 to 25 minutes
after completion of the Immediate Recall test. Immediately after administration of the Delayed
Recall trial, a forced-choice Recognition test is administered. The Recognition test includes the 12
target words, plus 12 distractors (six semantically-related and six semantically-unrelated words).
Test administration time is about seven minutes for the Immediate Recall test and three minutes for
the Delayed Recall and Recognition tests.
Neurocognitive Testing Instructions:
Stress to the participant that her responses and scores are strictly confidential. These tests require
intense attention over a considerable period of time, so ensure that the participant will not be
disturbed or interrupted during the test. Participants should be reminded prior to their visit to bring
necessary eyeglasses or hearing aids for these tests.
These tests are not a clinical exam and are not intended to provide an immediate evaluation of a
participant’s cognitive abilities. If a participant expresses concern for her cognitive functioning and
desires to have the results, say to the participant, “If you are concerned about your memory or
your performance on any of these tasks and think you have problems, please address these
with your primary care provider who can assess these and determine if you need any
additional testing.”

SECTION B. TRIALS 1–3 ADMINISTRATION

(1) Before Trial 1, say to the participant, “I am going to read a list of words to you.
Listen carefully, because when I’m through, I’d like you to tell me as many of
the words as you can remember. You can tell them to me in any order. Are you
ready?”
Begin by reading the HVLT-R Word List (numbers 1–12) to the participant at the
rate of one word every two seconds. Use a timer to ensure a steady pace. You will
read this list three times, once each before Trials 1 through 3. If the participant does
not spontaneously begin reciting words after the last word is read, say, “OK. Now
tell me as many of the words as you can.”
As the participant recites words, write them down, in order, in the Trial 1 Worksheet.
Write down each word recited by the participant; if she repeats a word, write it down
each time the word is recited. If the participant asks, “Have I said that already?” while
reciting the word list, say to the participant, “I can’t say, but would you like me to
write that down as one of your responses?” If the participant stops reciting
words, wait 10 to 15 seconds and say, “Do you remember any more words?” If
she cannot recite any additional words, then go on to the next trial.
Follow the instructions above for each of Trials 1 through 3.

WIHS QxQ Form NC06: Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised – 04/01/11a

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(2) Before Trial 2, say to the participant, “Now we are going to try it again. I am going to
read the same list of words to you. Listen carefully, and tell me as many of the words
as you can remember, in any order, including all the words you told me the first
time.” Read the HVLT-R Word List again. Then say, “OK. Now tell me as many of the
words as you can.” As the participant recites words, write them down, in order, in the Trial
2 Worksheet.
(3) Before Trial 3, say to the participant, “I am going to read the list one more time. As
before, I’d like you to tell me as many of the words as you can remember, in any
order, including all the words you’ve already told me.” Read the HVLT-R Word List
again. Then say, “OK. Now tell me as many of the words as you can.” As the participant
recites words, write them down, in order, in the Trial 3 Worksheet.
B1. Record the time administration of Trial 3 (Section B) was completed.
After completing Section B, administer forms NC07 (Stroop) and NC01a (Cognitive Measures,
Standard TMT and SDMT) next. Then, return to this form to complete Section C (Delayed Recall).
SECTION C. DELAYED RECALL
(1) Record the time administration of Section C began. Approximately 20 to 25 minutes should
have passed between administration of Sections B and C of the NC06 form. This is why the
interviewer is asked to take a break after completion of Section B to administer forms NC07
(Stroop) and NC01a (Cognitive Measures, Standard TMT and SDMT). Both forms (NC07
and NC01a), as appropriate, should be completed before returning to complete Section C
of the NC06 form. However, if 20 minutes pass before starting either subtest of NC01a
(Trail Making Test or the Symbol Digit Modalities Test), then you may return to NC06 to
complete Section C before starting either NC01a subtest. Allowing for a 20 to 25 minute
delay period before starting NC06 Section C is critical!
Begin Section C by saying to the participant, “Do you remember that list of words you
tried to learn before?” If she answers, “No,” remind her that you read the list three times
and she tried to recall the words each time. “Tell me as many of those words as you
can remember.”
As the participant recites words, write them down, in order, in the Delayed Recall
Worksheet. If the participant stops reciting words, wait 10 to 15 seconds and say, “Do
you remember any more words?” If she cannot recite any additional words, then go on
to the Recognition trial.
Score the Delayed Recall (numbers 1–12) in the same manner as Trials 1–3.
(2) Say to the participant, “Now I am going to read a longer list of words to you. Some of
them are words from the original list, and some are not. After I read each word, I’d
like you to say, ‘Yes,’ if it was on the original list, or ‘No,’ if it was not.”
Then read the list of words in Question C3 (a–x), pausing after each word to allow the
participant to indicate either “YES” or “NO” if the word had been read as part of the previous
list. Circle “1” if the participant says “YES” it was on the previous list; circle “0” if the
participant says “NO” it was not on the previous list.
C4. Indicate here whether the Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised was completed (skip to
C6), attempted but not completed, or not attempted. A task is considered “completed” if the
participant has a valid test score.
C5. If the participant did not complete the task, indicate the reason.
C6. Record the time administration of Section C was completed.
Complete the NC06 scoring form, Section D, after testing is finished.

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NOTE: Each WIHS site should fax a copy of the first 10 NC06 forms administered by each
tester to Antonia Savarese for review (Fax # 312-413-7856).
At the end of the WIHS cycle, please send the remaining test forms for the HVLT test
and Verbal Fluency tests completed during visit cycle 30 in bulk either:
Electronically as a PDF to asavarese@psych.uic.edu.
Or, via FEDEX using the Chicago WIHS account # (2442-1087-2) to the following
address:
Antonia Savarese
Center for Cognitive Medicine
Neuropsychiatric Institute, Rm. 842 MC 913
University of Illinois at Chicago
912 S. Wood St.
Chicago, IL 60612

NOTE: IF ANY SCORING PROBLEMS OR QUESTIONS ARISE, CONSULT YOUR SITE’S

GOLD STANDARD SCORER ABOUT THE ISSUE AND DOCUMENT IT IN A
“SCORING ISSUES LOG.” PLEASE CC ERIN SUNDERMANN
(esundermann@psych.uic.edu) and WDMAC (wdmac@jhsph.edu) ON EMAILS
WITH GOLD STANDARD SCORER IN ORDER TO GET CONFIRMATION ON
SCORING DECISIONS.

“Adapted and reproduced by special permission of the Publisher, Psychological Assessment

Resources, Inc., 16204 North Florida Avenue, Lutz, Florida 33549, from the Hopkins Verbal
Learning Test-Revised by Jason Brandt, PhD, and Ralph H.B. Benedict, PhD, Copyright 1991,
1998, 2001 by PAR, Inc. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission from PAR, Inc.”

WIHS QxQ Form NC06: Hopkins Verbal Learning Test-Revised – 04/01/11a

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