A Brief Assessment of Learning for Orphaned and Abandoned Children in Low and Middle Income Countries
Title: A Brief Assessment of Learning for Orphaned and Abandoned Children in Low and Middle Income Countries
Authors: Karen O’Donnell, Robert Murphy, Jan Ostermann, Max Masnick, Rachel A. Whetten, Elisabeth Madden, Nathan M. Thielman, Kathryn Whetten and The Positive Outcomes for Orphans (POFO) Research Team
Date: 2012
Abstract: Assessment of children’s learning and performance in low and middle income countries has been critiqued as lacking a gold standard, an appropriate norm reference group, and demonstrated applicability of assessment tasks to the context. This study was designed to examine the performance of three nonverbal and one adapted verbal measure of children’s problem solving, memory, motivation, and attention across five culturally diverse sites. The goal was to evaluate the tests as indicators of individual differences affected by life events and care circumstances for vulnerable children. We conclude that the measures can be successfully employed with fidelity in non-standard settings in LMICs, and are associated with child age and educational experience across the settings. The tests can be useful in evaluating variability in vulnerable child outcomes.
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Tags: abandoned children, academic development, cognitive development, education, orphan, vulnerable children