Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2011. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The practice of psychometric testing of cognitive functioning in South Africa is hampered by
the paucity of normative data that adequately characterize our ethnically, linguistically,
socioeconomically, and educationally diverse population. The general aim of this study was to
ascertain whether cognitive tests developed in settings outside of the Western Cape urbanized
area have valid application for clinical and research purposes in that area. Strategies used to
achieve that aim included: 1) translation, adaptation, and subsequent administration of a
compendium of tests in a sample of typically developing, coloured and white, 12- to 15-yearold,
Afrikaans- and English-speaking adolescents; 2) evaluation of the relative impact of
sociodemographic factors (age, sex, language, quality of education, and race) on test
performance and the consequent derivation of appropriately stratified normative data; and 3)
evaluation of the cross-cultural utility of the normative data by comparing data collected from
the study sample to norms derived from other populations. Results indicated that sex and
language of testing impacted minimally on cognitive functioning. In contrast, the pervasive and
deleterious impact of disadvantaged quality of education on cognitive performance within
typically developing adolescents was clearly demonstrated. For participants with advantaged
quality of education, coloured race was associated with lower performance on measures of
intelligence, semantic fluency, and one measure of attention. Furthermore, the results provided
evidence of age-related increments in cognitive performance, particularly after the age of 12.
For cognitive measures that were significantly affected by language, race, and quality of
education, trends of a downward continuum of performance were demonstrated, from highest to
lowest, as follows: 1) English-white-advantaged; 2) Afrikaans-white-advantaged; 3) Englishcoloured-
advantaged; 4) English-coloured-disadvantaged; 5) Afrikaans-coloured-advantaged;
and 6) Afrikaans-coloured-disadvantaged. Cross-cultural comparisons of norms showed that for
some tests, norms derived from other populations were suitable for use in the study sample. For
other tests, however, results showed that for certain subgroups, it was essential to use the
stratified norms derived from the study in order to prevent misdiagnoses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die psigometriese toetsing van kognitiewe funksionering word in Suid-Afrika gekniehalter deur
'n gebrek aan normatiewe data wat ons etnies, taalkundig, sosio-ekonomies en opvoedkundig
diverse bevolking genoegsaam tipeer. Die algemene doel van hierdie studie was om vas te stel
of kognitiewe toetse wat in omgewings buite die Wes-Kaapse stedelike gebied ontwikkel is,
ook vir kliniese en navorsingsdoeleindes binne hierdie stedelike gebied aangewend kan word.
Hiervoor is onder meer die volgende strategieë gevolg: 1) 'n kompendium toetse is vertaal,
aangepas en vervolgens afgeneem onder ’n toetsgroep tipies ontwikkelende, bruin en wit, 12-
tot 15-jarige, Afrikaans- en Engelssprekende adolessente; 2) die relatiewe impak van
sosiodemografiese faktore (ouderdom, geslag, taal, opvoedingsgehalte en ras) op toetsprestasie,
en die gevolglike verkryging van toepaslik gestratifiseerde normatiewe data, is beoordeel en 3)
die kruiskulturele nut van die normatiewe data is beoordeel deur die data wat van die toetsgroep
in hierdie studie verkry is, te vergelyk met norme wat van ander populasies bekom is. Die
resultate toon dat geslag en die taal waarin die toets afgeneem word 'n minimale uitwerking op
kognitiewe funksionering het. Daarenteen is duidelik bewys dat swakker gehalte opvoeding ’n
verreikende en skadelike uitwerking op die kognitiewe funksionering van tipies ontwikkelende
adolessente het. By deelnemers met beter gehalte opvoeding blyk daar 'n verband te wees tussen
die bruin rassegroep en laer prestasie wat betref maatstawwe van intelligensie en semantiese
vaardigheid, asook een maatstaf van konsentrasie. Voorts lewer die resultate bewys van
ouderdomsverwante toenames in kognitiewe prestasie, veral ná die ouderdom van 12. Wat
betref kognitiewe maatstawwe wat beduidend deur taal, ras en opvoedingsgehalte beïnvloed is,
is 'n afwaartse prestasiekontinuum opgemerk wat van hoog na laag soos volg daar uitsien: 1)
Engels-wit-bevoordeel, 2) Afrikaans-wit-bevoordeel, 3) Engels-bruin-bevoordeel, 4) Engelsbruin-
benadeel, 5) Afrikaans-bruin-bevoordeel en 6) Afrikaans-bruin-benadeel. Kruiskulturele
normvergelykings toon dat, wat sommige toetse betref, die norme wat van ander populasies
bekom is ook geskik was vir gebruik onder die toetsgroep in hierdie studie. Wat ander toetse
betref, het die resultate egter getoon dat dit by bepaalde subgroepe noodsaaklik is om die
gestratifiseerde norme wat uit die betrokke studie afgelei is te gebruik ten einde verkeerde
diagnoses te voorkom.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/17799 |
| Date | 12 1900 |
| Creators | Ferrett, Helen Louise |
| Contributors | Carey, P., Thomas, K., Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Health Sciences. Dept. of Psychiatry. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 300 p. : ill. (some col.) |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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