A confirmatory factor analysis of the California Verbal Learning Test--Second Edition (CVLT-II) in the standardization sample

The purpose of this study is to determine the latent structure of the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II; Delis, Kramer, Kaplan, & Ober, 2000) at three different age levels, using the standardization sample. Maximum likelihood confirmatory factor analyses are performed to test four competing hypothetical models for fit and parsimony. A four-factor model consisting of Attention Span, Learning Efficiency, Delayed Memory, and Inaccurate Memory provides the best fit to the data at two age levels (16-30 years and 31-60 years, respectively) but the factor structure is somewhat less robust in the oldest age group (>60 years). The results clarify the latent structure of the CVLT-II and suggest that a multifactorial interpretation of quantitative and qualitative indexes from this instrument is appropriate for clinical practice with most adults, although findings may need to be interpreted more cautiously among older persons.