A novel measure of matching categories for early development: Item creation and pilot feasibility study.
A quick tablet game can reliably gauge concept formation in toddlers with developmental delay.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Condy et al. (2021) built a new tablet game. It tests how toddlers sort pictures into groups.
Kids with developmental delay and mental ages under 24 months tried it. The team watched if the app ran smoothly and kept the children engaged.
What they found
The game worked. Children could tap pictures and finish most items.
The authors say the tool is ready for pilot use. Next they will shorten the test and add computer-adaptive features.
How this fits with other research
Emerson et al. (2023) built a tablet working-memory game for 2- to 8-year-olds with Down syndrome. Both studies show touch-screen tasks are doable with very young children who have developmental disabilities.
Frazier et al. (2023) created a free challenging-behavior scale for families of kids with DD. Like Emma et al., they focused on making the tool easy to give and easy to keep families involved.
Wagner et al. (2011) and Schulz et al. (2011) checked the factor structure of the Movement ABC-2. They also started with a feasibility question, but for motor skills instead of concept formation. Together these papers form a pattern: first see if the test runs, then see what it really measures.
Why it matters
You now have a brief, play-like test that can spot early concept-formation delays. Use it during intake to decide if a child needs more detailed cognitive work. Track scores over time to see if your intervention is sharpening sorting and category skills.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Many cognitive tests assess a limited developmental span, making longitudinal measurement for trials aimed at improving cognition challenging. Tests targeting transitional skills, which integrate foundational abilities into complex schemas, may be amenable to assessment across a wide developmental span. Furthermore, tablet-based tests permit computer adaptive testing (CAT), which is psychometrically more efficient and could increase testing motivation, especially for children with developmental delays. Such measures may be useful for research and clinical practice. AIMS: Outline the creation of a novel, tablet-based concept formation test, and evaluate its feasibility in individuals with mental ages less than 24-months. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: Item generation, user interface construction, and pre-piloting were conducted in consultation with subject matter experts. Item content and interface parameters underwent iterative revisions, resulting in the pilot test. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: We created and piloted a tablet-based test of concept formation suitable for CAT-based administration with items of increasing difficulty based on target salience. We show feasibility in individuals with mental ages less than 24-months-old. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Tablet-based assessment of concept formation may be a useful outcome measure of an aspect of cognitive ability in young children. Future work will address optimizing the user interface and developing CAT administration.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1348/026151008×334700