Test selection, adaptation, and evaluation

A systematic approach to assess nutritional influences on child development in developing countries

Bibliographic Data

ID5264362
AuthorsElizabeth L Prado (0000-0002-5388-081X, University of Mataram, corresponding author), Sri Hartini (0000-0002-6650-4485, University of Mataram), Atik Rahmawati (0000-0002-0403-027X, University of Mataram), Elfa Ismayani (University of Mataram), Astri Hidayati, Nurul Hikmah (0009-0004-3595-3183, University of Mataram), Husni Muadz (University of Mataram), Mandri S Apriatni, Mandri Apriatni (University of Mataram), Michael T Ullman (0000-0001-9037-3537, Georgetown University), Anuraj H Shankar (0000-0001-7268-6708, Johns Hopkins University), Katie Alcock (0000-0001-5219-5442, Lancaster University), Katherine J Alcock
Year2010
Volume80
Issue1
Pages31-53
Publication date2010-03-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueBritish Journal of Educational Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0007-0998 • E-ISSN: 2044-8279
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1348/000709909x470483
PMID19772714
OpenAlexW2142179009
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited53

BackgroundEvaluating the impact of nutrition interventions on developmental outcomes in developing countries can be challenging since most assessment tests have been produced in and for developed country settings. Such tests may not be valid measures of children's abilities when used in a new context.AimsWe present several principles for the selection, adaptation, and evaluation of tests assessing the developmental outcomes of nutrition interventions in developing countries where standard assessment tests do not exist. We then report the application of these principles for a nutrition trial on the Indonesian island of Lombok.SampleThree hundred children age 22-55 months in Lombok participated in a series of pilot tests for the purpose of test adaptation and evaluation. Four hundred and eighty-seven 42-month-old children in Lombok were tested on the finalized test battery.MethodsThe developmental assessment tests were adapted to the local context and evaluated for a number of psychometric properties, including convergent and discriminant validity, which were measured based on multiple regression models with maternal education, depression, and age predicting each test score.ResultsThe adapted tests demonstrated satisfactory psychometric properties and the expected pattern of relationships with the three maternal variables. Maternal education significantly predicted all scores but one, maternal depression predicted socio-emotional competence, socio-emotional problems, and vocabulary, while maternal age predicted socio-emotional competence only.ConclusionFollowing the methodological principles we present resulted in tests that were appropriate for children in Lombok and informative for evaluating the developmental outcomes of nutritional supplementation in the research context. Following this approach in future studies will help to determine which interventions most effectively improve child development in developing countries

Child development · Competence (human resources) · Context (archaeology) · Developing country · Developmental psychology · Discriminant validity · Psychiatry · Psychological intervention · Psychometrics · Test (biology) · Body Composition Measurement Techniques · Child Nutrition and Water Access · Clinical Psychology · Psychology · Psychometric Methodologies and Testing · Social Psychology

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