A number of computerised tests have been especially developed to facilitate the medical management of the sports-related concussion. Probably the most widely used of these programmes is the ImPACT test that was developed in the USA and that is registered with the HPCSA for use in the South African context. A recent Afrikaans version of the test served as the basis of the present study with the following objectives: (i) to collect Afrikaans ImPACT normative data on a cohort of Afrikaans first language adolescent rugby players with Model C education for comparison with existing South African English first language adolescent rugby players with Private/Model C schooling, and (ii) to investigate the pre-versus postseason ImPACT neurocognitive test profiles of this cohort of Afrikaans first language adolescent rugby players versus equivalent noncontact sports controls. The results for Part 1 of the study generally demonstrate poorer performance in respect of the Afrikaans cohort, which is understood to be the result of poorer quality of education. The results for Part 2 demonstrated failure of the rugby group to benefit from practice on the ImPACT Visual Motor Speed composite score to the same extent as the control group. It is argued that this apparent cognitive vulnerability in the rugby group is due to lowered cognitive reserve capacity in association with long term exposure to concussive and sub-concussive injury.

To constantly add to our understanding of child development, a valid, comprehensive, well-researched measure is needed. The recent revision and standardisation of the Griffiths Mental Development Scales - Extended Revised (GMDS-ER) has necessitated investigations into its psychometric properties. This measure is used to identify developmental delays in children and critical decisions may be made, hence it is imperative that this measure be deemed both reliable and valid. This study aimed to contribute to the broader restandardisation project and focussed on gathering qualitative and quantitative construct-related validity evidence for one of the six Subscales of the GMDS-ER, namely the Eye and Hand Coordination Subscale (Subscale D). An exploratory descriptive method using a triangulation approach was used to explore the construct-related validity evidence of the Eye and Hand Coordination Subscale. A non-random purposively selected sample of 6 experts, who had worked at least 10 years with children assessing and evaluating the domain of eye-hand coordination, participated in a facet analysis to identify the underlying dimensions tapped by the Eye and Hand Coordination Subscale. The sample for the quantitative aspects of this study, the empirical validation of the construct model, was collected as part of the broader restandardisation and represented a stratified sample of 1026 children between the ages 24 months and 96 months from across the United Kingdom and Eire. Three measures, namely a biographical questionnaire, the GMDS-ER and a construct evaluation form were used to gather the qualitative and quantitative data. The qualitative data was analysed by means of a facet analysis and literature control which included examining other tests or subtests that tapped eye-hand coordination skills. The quantitative data was analysed by means of exploratory common factor analysis using oblique (DQUART) rotation in order to verify the qualitatively identified construct model by specifying a one-factor solution for each underlying construct. While literature suggests that eye-hand coordination is multidimensional in nature the facet analysis revealed that the tasks tapped by Subscale D were not tapping complex skills aside from eye-hand coordination. The facet analysis thus revealed that all the items tap the eye-hand coordination of fine motor tasks and that these items could be grouped into two categories, using writing utensils and object manipulation. The results from the factor analysis confirmed that the items on Subscale D have one underlying construct and further exploration confirmed that these items could in fact be grouped into two categories. The coefficients of congruence for SES and gender were satisfactory and thus the construct model was validated across these groups as well. The study has provided extensive qualitative and quantitative evidence for the construct-related validity of the Eye and Hand Coordination Subscale of the GMDS-ER, thus validating its use as a sound measure of eye-hand coordination development in children aged 2 to 8 years. The content coverage however, seemed to indicate that the tasks required do not adequately cover all the facets of eye-hand coordination and some of these item types are tapped by the other Subscales in the measure. Hence, should the Subscale be used as an independent assessment of eye-hand coordination, the eye-hand coordination development of the child would have a narrow focus. In addition, in reviewing the variety of tasks in the two sections for the older and younger child, the researcher noted that while section III tapped a variety of skills, section IV only focused on skills associated with drawing, copying and writing. A review of the age appropriateness of the items and the item analysis results from the revision seemed to indicate that some of the items assessing the older child may need to be revised. Further, the researcher suggested that the revision should consider adding additional dimensions to the tasks assessed. Overall, it is the researcher‟s opinion that this Subscale was not given adequate attention during the revision process and should future revisions occur, the recommendations from this study should be considered.

This study was an investigation of profile patterns on WISC-III subtest scores of Canadian gifted children. Profiles of students were compared to core profile types identified by Glutting, McDermott, and Konold (1997) and Konold, Glutting, McDermott, Kush, and Watkins (1999). From the literature reviewed, it was felt that conducting a profile analysis based on empirical research would override some of the criticisms inherent in the practice of profile analysis The sample consisted of 88 children ages 6 through 13 years. Subjects were included who scored at least 120 on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC-III). Sixty of the participants were gathered from Choice School; the remaining 28 were from the Psychoeducational Research and Training Centre at the University of British Columbia. The results of the profile analysis indicated that 34% of the cases were considered to be clinically unique or rare. The profile analysis of the entire sample of Canadian gifted students indicated that a much higher percentage of profiles were considered to be clinically unique or rare when compared to the normative sample. Future research needs to include larger samples of gifted children. / Education, Faculty of / Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of / Graduate

This study was concerned with testing two hypotheses frequently made in the interpretation of performance on the Children's Scale. The first hypothesis is that maladjustment is directly related to the amount of scatter and the second stresses that the specificity of maladjustment may be determined by the pattern of successes and failures.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which a non-verbal test of intelligence, the Test of Non-Verbal Intelligence (TONI), may be used for assessing intellectual abilities of children in India. This investigation is considered important since current instruments used in India were developed several years ago and do not adequately reflect present standards of performance. Further, current instruments do not demonstrate adequate validity, as procedures for development and cultural transport were frequently not in adherence to recommended guidelines for such practice. Data were collected from 91 normally achieving and 18 mentally retarded Indian children, currently enrolled in elementary schools. Data from an American comparison group were procured from the authors of the TONI. Subjects were matched on age, grade, and area of residence. Subjects were also from comparative socioeconomic backgrounds. Literature review of the theoretical framework supporting cross-cultural measurement of intellectual ability, a summary of major instruments developed for cross-cultural use, non-verbal measures of intellectual ability in India, and issues in cross-cultural research are discussed, with recommended methodology for test transport. Major findings are: (a) the factor scales derived from the Indian and American normally achieving groups indicate significant differences; (b) items 1, 3, 5, 8, 10, and 22 are biased against the Indian group, though overall item characteristic curves are not significantly different; (c) mean raw scores on the TONI are significantly different between second and third grade Indian subjects; and (d) mean TONI Quotients are significantly different between normally achieving and mentally retarded Indian subjects. It is evident that deletion of biased items and rescaling would be necessary for the TONI to be valid in the Indian context. However, because it does discriminate between subjects at different levels of ability, adaptation for use in India is justified. It may prove to be a more current and parsimonious method of assessing intellectual abilities in Indian children than instruments presently in use.

No description available.

No description available.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the accuracy of intelligence tests when they have been prepared for Anglo-American children and applied to Latin-American children and to find the type of test that is best for Latin-American children.

The newly developed Differential Aptitude Test Form S (DAT) does not give an indication of general intelligence or expected achievement in Grade 9. The aim of the current study was to determine the relationships of the aptitude subtests (measured by the DAT) with intelligence and achievement. Two affective factors, motivation and self-concept, as well as study orientation, were included as variables predicting achievement. An empirical study was carried out in which 60 Grade 9 learners were tested. The variables were measured using reliable instruments. Correlations were calculated and multiple regression analyses used to predict achievement. Moderate to high positive correlations between aptitude and intelligence were found. Affective factors explained more of the variance in achievement in key subjects than aptitude variables. One conclusion is that Grade 9 achievement measures affective rather than cognitive factors. Recommendations are made regarding the use of the DAT-S in predicting school achievement. / Educational Studies / M.Ed. (Specialisation in Guidance and Counselling)

It has been suggested that the use of standardized intelligence tests is biased against minorities. This study investigates the newly revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III in which Wechsler states that the new scale has eliminated biased items. Comparisons of the scores on the WISC-R and the WISC-III of a clinical population of sixteen African American and eighteen Caucasian males, ages ten to sixteen, revealed significant differences between the two groups on the WISC-III. The minority scores decreased predictably from the WISC-R to the WISC-III, but the Caucasian scores increased rather than decreasing. The findings of this study do not support the predictions and goals of revision as stated in the manual of the WISC-III.