Performance of Zambian Children on the NEPSY: A Pilot Study
Abstract
Forty-five literate schoolchildren aged 9 (n = 25) and 11 (n = 20) from urban Zambia were given core and expanded tests on the NEPSY and their performance was scored according to age-equivalent norms for U.S. children. This study indicates that in urban, literate Zambian children, the NEPSY is relatively insensitive to language and cultural influences that often compromise the applicability of Western tests in the developing world. No consistent improvement in the standard scores was found as a function of educational experience. Comparison against the U.S. normative average revealed that both age groups were poorer in the domains of language and attention and executive functions, whereas their performance was better in the visuospatial processing domain. It is concluded that the NEPSY in its present form may be clinically useful, but its results should still be treated with caution, taking into account cultural, language, and personal demographic information. More studies, with divergent and larger samples of varying age ranges are required. It seems that the NEPSY could serve as the initial step in the development of neuropsychological practices in Zambia.
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The sample size of 120 participants is in line with the sample sizes of previous studies looking at FASD and cognitive functioning.
“This is in line with the sample sizes of previous studies looking at FASD and cognitive functioning [9,19,39].”
The NEPSY-II remains clinically useful despite the need for cautious interpretation.
“Although the results need to be interpreted cautiously, the test remains clinically useful [39].”
The NEPSY-II is relatively insensitive to language and culture differences.
“however, the NEPSY-II is relatively insensitive to language and culture differences.”
NEPSY II has also been used in low- and middle-income countries.
“NEPSY II has also been used in low-and middle-income countries (43,44).”
From Vitamin B-12 status in infancy is positively associated with development and cognitive functioning 5 y later in Nepalese children (2017) · cites this paper as [44]
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Kvestad, I., Hysing, M., Shrestha, M., Ulak, M., Thorne-Lyman, A. L., Henjum, S., Ueland, P. M., Midttun, Ø., Fawzi, W., Chandyo, R. K., et al. (2017) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.3945/ajcn.116.144931 · Cited by 92 · see citing works
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Louw, J. G., Olivier, L., Skeen, S., van Heerden, A., & Tomlinson, M. (2019) · JMIR Research Protocols · doi:10.2196/14489 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
- Authors
- Mulenga, K., Ahonen, T., & Aro, M.
- Affiliations
- University of Zambia (ZM)
- Venue
- Developmental Neuropsychology
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2001-08
- Volume
- 20
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 375-383
- ISSN
- 1532-6942 (ISSN-L)
- 8756-5641
- OpenAlex
- W2030411523
- Cited by
- 73
- References
- 11
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 4 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 5 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 3 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 1.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Developmental Neuropsychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Neuropsychology and Physiological Psychology › Developmental and Educational Neuropsychology
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Psychological Testing and Assessment
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Historical and Modern Theater Studies
- Keywords
- NEPSY, neuropsychological assessment, Zambian children, cross-cultural validity, executive function, attention, visuospatial processing, educational experience
- MeSH terms
- Child, Cognition Disorders, Female, Humans, Male, Neuropsychological Tests, Pilot Projects, Zambia, Reproducibility of Results
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