Instrument adaptation for measuring early child language development across multilingual and sociocultural diverse settings

Bibliographic Data

ID9787878
AuthorsHeather Brookes (0000-0003-1210-9356, Stellenbosch University), Frenette Southwood (0000-0002-8247-2081, Stellenbosch University), Martin Mössmer (0000-0001-5179-3870, Stellenbosch University), Patricia Makaure (0000-0001-7441-6613, Stellenbosch University), Michelle White (0000-0002-4037-0722), Michelle Jennifer White (0000-0003-0164-7677, Stellenbosch University), Carmen Coetsee (0009-0009-7799-6276, Stellenbosch University), Sefela L Yalala (0000-0002-5768-7320, Stellenbosch University), Helena Kruger (0000-0002-3776-9812, Stellenbosch University), Mikateko Ndhambi (0000-0002-4328-3093, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University), Sibusiso Clifford Ndlangamandla (0000-0001-5259-9711, University of South Africa), Monicca T Bhuda (0000-0002-8506-9562, University of Mpumalanga), Nina Brink (0000-0001-7119-8200, North-West University), Nomfundo Buthelezi (0000-0002-6032-3579, University of KwaZulu-Natal), William Jiyana (0009-0000-7683-2688, University of Mpumalanga), F Portia Khumalo (0000-0003-3652-6656, Stellenbosch University), Babalwa Ludidi (University of Cape Town), Muzi Matfunjwa (0000-0003-4553-3225, North-West University), Lufuno Miriri (0000-0001-5885-6555, University of Limpopo), Nomsa Skosana (0000-0002-2833-5895, North-West University)
Year2026
Volume62
Issue1
Pages288-302
Publication date2026-01-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueDevelopmental Psychology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0012-1649 • E-ISSN: 1939-0599
PublisherAmerican Psychological Association (APA) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1037/dev0001935
PMID39977678
OpenAlexW4407762050
LanguageEN
Citations received2

This article describes the adaptation of the MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventory (CDI) for South Africa's 11 official spoken languages. The CDI is a parent-report tool that measures early language development from 8 to 30 months. We developed cross-linguistically comparable CDIs, representing two distinct language families, West Germanic and southern Bantu, using a common protocol. We describe our approach to item construction and harmonization across languages and to obtaining sociodemographic information in different cultural settings. Issues such as language contact and variation, sampling, data collection, and quality control are discussed as well as item selection and instrument reliability and validity. This study highlights key issues for CDI adaptations and other instrument development in understudied contexts and discusses the theoretical implications of adding this diverse set of cross-linguistically comparable languages for early child language research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved)

Adaptation (eye · Child development · Developmental psychology · Language acquisition · Language development · Mathematics education · Sociocultural evolution · Sociology · Anthropology · Language Development and Disorders · Psychology

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Open DOI