This goal primarily addresses the issue of the value of the K-ABC for use with minority groups within the mainstream culture. The term minority group referring not only to ethnic group, but to children with specific impairments or skills. The current study is dealing with a group of children who do not constitute a minority group, but are from a mainstream culture which differs from that of the original standardisation sample. In this regard reference has already been made to the relative stability of the factor structure across cultures (Cummings et al 1993, Giordani et al 1996); and also to predictive validity in different cultural groups (Worthington et al 1988), suggesting that the K-ABC format is transferable to other cultural contexts. In addition there are aspects of the design of the K-ABC,
which were incorporated in order to address the needs of minority groups, which also have particular relevance to the current study population. Of relevance are: a) Minimising the dependency of the measure upon exposure to specific language symbols (Cummins 1984);
b) The incorporation of teaching items. This is particularly appropriate for children who are unfamiliar with formal testing procedures (Das 1984), as in the current context;
c) The exclusion of timing criteria. No K-ABC sub-test is timed, and this reduces the demands upon speed of performance. This might be expected to benefit both children with ocular and motor deficits (Donders 1992), and those whose cultures do not stress speed as a component of successful performance (Wober 1975). Whilst the potential benefits for the latter of these two groups remains likely, but undetermined, the benefit to the former group has been analysed (Donders 1992). It was found, in common with performance on the WISC-R, that children with ocular or motor deficits had significantly lower scores. This suggests that their performance is probably being underestimated, and that the K-ABC therefore has limitations in its application to this group of children;
d) Sensitivity to neurological impairment. The K-ABC has been found to be sensitive to other aspects of neurological impairment. Scores on all three of the K-ABC scales have been found to have a significant correlation with the length of coma experienced by children who have suffered traumatic brain injury (Donders 1992). The relationship between processing strength and the latéralisation of impairment measured from other sources, also provides support for a hemispheric model for interpreting the Simultaneous - Sequential dichotomy (Morris & Bigler 1987).
Summary And Conclusions
The K-ABC provides a viable and valuable structure for assessing higher mental functions in the current context. It has particular advantages over other approaches. These are:
a) the inclusion of teaching items to increase familiarity with the test materials. It is a static test, with dynamic elements, combining advantages of both approaches.
b) a large range of sub-tests which require no or limited verbal responses. This is particularly advantageous with children from the current context, who are reticent about speaking to strange adults.
c) the theoretical structure which provides a framework for analysing and assessing the pattern of strengths and weaknesses observed. The link between cognitive functions and brain structure and development is especially useful in examining the effects of cerebral malaria.
d) the previous experience of its use in a number of different cultural contexts. Most especially the recommendations that follow its use in another African country (Giordani et al 1996)
Some weaknesses, and the recommendations to overcome them, have also been noted. These are:
a) The changes in factor structure between different age and cultural groups. Checks on the validity of the current battery have produced positive results, and supported the content and structure of the Kilifi Battery for six year olds. The distinction between Simultaneous and Sequential Processing appears to be maintained in the Kilifi Battery. Furthermore, with the greatest similarity in factor structure being with the 4 year old standardisation group, support was also provided for the selection of the younger, rather than older range, of sub-tests. However, the possible association between the sequential scale and attention should thus be borne in mind when interpreting results.
b) Weaknesses remain in the application of the sub-tests to children with ocular and motor deficits. Children need to be screened for such problems, and those with impairments excluded from the main analysis.
c) Evidence suggests that the "leap" from performance deficits to recommendations for teaching strategies requires more research. Whilst no direct recommendations can therefore be expected to come out of this analysis, suggestions can be made for possible interventions which themselves will need to be the subject of research and analysis.
A More Complete Test Battery
One final important theoretical issue is raised by Das and colleagues in relation to the Kaufman description of the Das-Luria approach (Das et al 1990). The K- ABC analyses higher mental functions through sequential - simultaneous processing. This focuses on Luria's second unit of brain functioning, and excludes the contribution that arousal/attention and planning might be making to both success and failure. The addition of tasks which look a these other units of brain functioning should therefore significantly extend the understanding of the development and potential impairments of the children being assessed (Das 1984, Das et al 1990). In addition Kaufman recognised that there are
"certain important areas that are not assessed by the K-ABC, most notably paper and pencil co-ordination; verbal expression involving phrases and sentences; and creativity"(Kaufman & Kaufman 1983 p.22)
These issues will also be addressed in the composition of the final assessment battery. The following chapters will combine a description of the practical development of the additional sub-test included in the main battery, with the theoretical background to each additional area of functioning.