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Published on: June 20, 2020
Assessing development of urban Aboriginal infants
Beverley Bennett1, Jenny McDonald, Jennifer Knight
1Department of Community Paediatrics, Campbelltown Hospital, New South Wales, Australia.
Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health
|June 16, 2010
Summary
The Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scales appear appropriate for assessing development in urban Aboriginal infants at 12 months. The Gudaga study found no significant differences compared to standardization samples.
Area of Science:
- Developmental pediatrics
- Indigenous child health
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Assessing developmental milestones in Indigenous infants is crucial for early intervention.
- The Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scales (GMDS) are widely used but require validation in diverse populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the appropriateness of the Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scales (birth to 2 years) for urban Aboriginal infants at 12 months.
- To compare GMDS scores in this cohort with the established standardization sample.
Main Methods:
- Prospective longitudinal cohort study (Gudaga study) in South West Sydney.
- Included 55 urban Aboriginal infants assessed at 12 months.
- Utilized the Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scales as part of a comprehensive health and development assessment.
Main Results:
- The General Quotient (GQ) distribution for the Gudaga cohort was normal (mean 98.5, SD 10.5).
- No significant differences were found in locomotor, personal-social, hearing and language, or eye and hand coordination sub-quotient scores compared to the GMDS standardization sample.
Conclusions:
- The Griffiths' Mental Developmental Scales demonstrate potential appropriateness for assessing developmental progress in urban Aboriginal infants.
- Findings support the use of GMDS as a valid tool for this specific population, aiding in early identification of developmental needs.
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