Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2023 Feb 23;2(2):e0000196.
doi: 10.1371/journal.pdig.0000196. eCollection 2023 Feb.

The current landscape and future of tablet-based cognitive assessments for children in low-resourced settings

Megan S McHenry  1 , Debarati Mukherjee  2 , Supriya Bhavnani  3 , Amir Kirolos  4 , Joe D Piper  5 , Maria M Crespo-Llado  4 , Melissa J Gladstone  4
Affiliations
Review

The current landscape and future of tablet-based cognitive assessments for children in low-resourced settings

Megan S McHenry et al. PLOS Digit Health. .

Abstract

Interest in measuring cognition in children in low-resourced settings has increased in recent years, but options for cognitive assessments are limited. Researchers are faced with challenges when using existing assessments in these settings, such as trained workforce shortages, less relevant testing stimuli, limitations of proprietary assessments, and inadequate parental knowledge of cognitive milestones. Tablet-based direct child assessments are emerging as a practical solution to these challenges, but evidence of their validity and utility in cross-cultural settings is limited. In this overview, we introduce key concepts of this field while exploring the current landscape of tablet-based assessments for low-resourced settings. We also make recommendations for future directions of this relatively novel field. We conclude that tablet-based assessments are an emerging and promising method of assessing cognition in young children. Further awareness and dissemination of validated tablet-based assessments may increase capacity for child development research and clinical practice in low-resourced settings.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

I have read the journal’s policy and the authors of this manuscript have the following competing interests: MSM led the adaptation of the NIH Toolbox tests in Dholou and Swahili languages. She was not paid or compensated for this specific work in any formal or consultancy role. DM supported the development and validation of DEEP among preschool children in rural India and was a part of the consortium that developed and validated START. SB co-led the development and validation of DEEP and was also a part of the consortium that developed and validated START. JP has piloted the Plus-EF in rural Zimbabwe. MJG received funding from the Medical Research Council and National Institutes of Health for research which is utilising DEEP in Malawi as well as by Wellcome Trust and Autism Speaks. MJG also has some consultancy funding from the World Health Organisation for support of work on the Global Scales of Early Development (GSED). AK has no COI at this time.

Figures

Fig 1
Fig 1. Synthesis across tablet-based cognitive assessments.
The names of the tools are listed in the Y-axis, with non-commercial tools listed first, followed by commercial tools. The X-axis is the range of ages, in years, for the intended population for the tool’s use. The numbers encompassed by () by the tool names indicates the number of languages for which the tool is translated. The numbers within the bands indicate the number of minutes (min) required to complete each test, with the number of tests listed in []. The color of the bands indicates the amount of training required to administer, with blue indicating <4 h of required training, yellow indicating an estimated 4–12 h of required training, pink indicating an estimated >12 h of required training.
Fig 2
Fig 2. Assessing the measurement properties of a tool.
Domains of psychometric properties adapted from the following publication: Mokkink LB, Terwee CB, Knol DL, Stratford PW, Alonso J, Patrick DL, et al. The COSMIN checklist for evaluating the methodological quality of studies on measurement properties: A clarification of its content. BMC Medical Research Methodology. 2010;10(1):22.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Lu C, Black MM, Richter LM. Risk of poor development in young children in low-income and middle-income countries: an estimation and analysis at the global, regional, and country level. Lancet Glob Health. 2016;4(12):e916–e922. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30266-2 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Nelson CA 3rd, Gabard-Durnam LJ. Early Adversity and Critical Periods: Neurodevelopmental Consequences of Violating the Expectable Environment. Trends Neurosci. 2020;43(3):133–143. doi: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.01.002 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Walker SP, Wachs TD, Meeks Gardner J, Lozoff B, Wasserman GA, Pollitt E, et al.. Child development: risk factors for adverse outcomes in developing countries. Lancet. 2007;369(9556):145–157. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(07)60076-2 - DOI - PubMed
    1. Richter LM, Daelmans B, Lombardi J, Heymann J, Boo FL, Behrman JR, et al.. Investing in the foundation of sustainable development: pathways to scale up for early childhood development. Lancet. 2017;389(10064):103–118. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)31698-1 - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Black MM, Hurley KM. Early child development programmes: further evidence for action. Lancet Glob Health. 2016;4(8):e505–e506. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(16)30149-8 - DOI - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources