Browsing by Subject "Cognitive assessments"

Now showing 1 - 3 of 3
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    A Psychometric Evaluation of the NIH Toolbox Fluid Cognition Tests Adapted for Swahili and Dholuo Languages in Kenyan Children and Adolescents
    (Cambridge University Press, 2023) McHenry, Megan S.; Roose, Anna; Abuonji, Emily; Nyalumbe, Mark; Ayuku, David; Ayodo, George; Tran, Tuan M.; Kaat, Aaron J.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Objective: Our objective was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the culturally adapted NIH Toolbox African Languages® when used in Swahili and Dholuo-speaking children in western Kenya. Method: Swahili-speaking participants were recruited from Eldoret and Dholuo-speaking participants from Ajigo; all were <14 years of age and enrolled in primary school. Participants completed a demographics questionnaire and five fluid cognition tests of the NIH Toolbox® African Languages program, including Flanker, Dimensional Change Card Sort (DCCS), Picture Sequence Memory, Pattern Comparison, and List Sorting tests. Statistical analyses examined aspects of reliability, including internal consistency (in both languages) and test-retest reliability (in Dholuo only). Results: Participants included 479 children (n = 239, Swahili-speaking; n = 240, Dholuo-speaking). Generally, the tests had acceptable psychometric properties for research use within Swahili- and Dholuo-speaking populations (mean age = 10.5; SD = 2.3). Issues related to shape identification and accuracy over speed limited the utility of DCCS for many participants, with approximately 25% of children unable to match based on shape. These cultural differences affected outcomes of reliability testing among the Dholuo-speaking cohort, where accuracy improved across all five tests, including speed. Conclusions: There is preliminary evidence that the NIH Toolbox ® African Languages potentially offers a valid assessment of development and performance using tests of fluid cognition in Swahili and Dholuo among research settings. With piloting underway across other diverse settings, future research should gather additional evidence on the clinical utility and acceptability of these tests, specifically through the establishment of norming data among Kenyan regions and evaluating these psychometric properties.
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    The current landscape and future of tablet-based cognitive assessments for children in low-resourced settings
    (Public Library of Science, 2023-02-23) McHenry, Megan S.; Mukherjee, Debarati; Bhavnani, Supriya; Kirolos, Amir; Piper, Joe D.; Crespo-Llado, Maria M.; Gladstone, Melissa J.; Pediatrics, School of Medicine
    Interest in measuring cognition in children in low-resourced settings has increased in recent years, but options for cognitive assessments are limited. Researchers are faced with challenges when using existing assessments in these settings, such as trained workforce shortages, less relevant testing stimuli, limitations of proprietary assessments, and inadequate parental knowledge of cognitive milestones. Tablet-based direct child assessments are emerging as a practical solution to these challenges, but evidence of their validity and utility in cross-cultural settings is limited. In this overview, we introduce key concepts of this field while exploring the current landscape of tablet-based assessments for low-resourced settings. We also make recommendations for future directions of this relatively novel field. We conclude that tablet-based assessments are an emerging and promising method of assessing cognition in young children. Further awareness and dissemination of validated tablet-based assessments may increase capacity for child development research and clinical practice in low-resourced settings.
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    The use of the Face Stimulus Assessment with an Early-State Dementia Diagnosis
    (2020) Mower, Ashleigh; Misluk, Eileen
    This human-subject, mixed methods study, originally designed for six participants, was turned into a case study that examined the use of the Face Stimulus Assessment (FSA) with one individual diagnosed with early-state dementia. The purpose of the study was to determine whether the participant with an early-stage dementia diagnosis could complete the FSA. Additionally, the Formal Elements Art Therapy Scale (FEATS) modified by Donna Betts for the FSA was applied to assess for applicability for individuals diagnosed with dementia. The results of the case study are not generalizable. However, the results from the individual participant were promising. The participant was able to complete the full assessment, and the average FEATS score from all three stimulus drawings demonstrated that with an early-stage dementia diagnosis, the FSA could be a good baseline assessment for tracking the progression of a dementia diagnosis. This case study supports continued research on the benefits of the FSA with this population.