Predictive validity between early and middle childhood cognitive assessments in Ugandan children

Longitudinal studies follow up children over years to assess their cognitive functioning following exposure to possible cerebral insults. Assessment of similar cognitive domains from early childhood onwards is essential in determining their cognitive developmental trajectory over time. This study measured the predictive validity between cognitive test batteries for early and middle childhood in Ugandan children. Six hundred and thirty-six children (males = 351; 55.2%) ages 18 months to 12 years (mean = 3.82, standard deviation = 1.88) were assessed for overall cognition, attention and memory at baseline and at 6 and 12 months later. The Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), the Early Childhood Vigilance Test (ECVT) and the Color Object Association Test (COAT) were used to assess overall cognition, attention and memory respectively in children below five years. The Kaufman Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition (KABC-II) assessed overall cognition and memory in children five years and older, while the Test of Variables of Attention (TOVA) assessed attention. Overall cognition scores for MSEL at baseline correlated with KABC-II cognition (0.71, p < 0.0001) at 12 months and ECVT at baseline correlated with TOVA at 12 months (r = 0.36, p = 0.001). Memory scores from COAT did not correlate with any memory scores from the KABC-II. In conclusion, cognitive ability and attention scores in early childhood are correlated with corresponding middle childhood scores 12 months later from these test batteries. These tests can be used in longitudinal studies of children from early childhood into adolescence.