Validation and normative data of the Italian Face-Name Association Test (ItFNAT): A tool for cross-modal memory assessment

Objective: This study aimed to enhance the psychometric robustness and normative utility of the Italian Face-Name Association Test (ItFNAT), designed to assess cross-modal associative memory, by validating three parallel versions and introducing scores adjusting formula and equivalent scores (ESs) for clinical application. Method: A total of 286 cognitively healthy Italian adults (ages 20–89) completed one of three equivalent ItFNAT versions, evaluating Immediate Recall (IRs), Delayed Free Recall (DFRs) and Delayed Total Recall (DTRs). Four derived indices were also computed. Internal consistency, test-retest reliability, principal component analysis (PCA), and regression-based demographic adjustments were performed. Convergent validity was examined using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Results: All three versions showed strong psychometric performance, with high internal consistency and robust test–retest reliability. PCA confirmed a stable one-factor structure. Significant correlations with MoCA supported convergent validity. Regression models identified age (linear or transformed) as the only consistent predictor across all scores. Accordingly, adjustment spreadsheet and ES were developed. Derived indices revealed age-related shifts in memory strategies and error types, suggesting their clinical interpretability. Conclusions: The ItFNAT is a reliable and valid tool for assessing associative memory in Italian adults. Its three parallel forms and corrected norms support its clinical and research use, particularly for repeated assessments and early detection of memory impairment in neurodegenerative disorders.