Hierarchical linear modeling of California Verbal Learning Test--Children's Version learning curve characteristics following childhood traumatic head injury.

California Verbal Learning Test-Children's Version (CVLT-C) indices have been shown to be sensitive to the neurocognitive effects of traumatic brain injury (TBI). The effects of TBI on the learning process were examined with a growth curve analysis of CVLT-C raw scores across the 5 learning trials. The sample with history of TBI comprised 86 children, ages 6-16 years, at a mean of 10.0 (SD=19.5) months postinjury; 37.2% had severe injury, 27.9% moderate, and 34.9% mild. The best-fit model for verbal learning was with a quadratic function. Greater TBI severity was associated with lower rate of acquisition and more gradual deceleration in the rate of acquisition. Intelligence test index scores, previously shown to be sensitive to severity of TBI, were positively correlated with rate of acquisition. Results provide evidence that the CVLT-C learning slope is not a simple linear function and further support for specific effects of TBI on verbal learning. ((c) 2005 APA, all rights reserved).