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Normative data collection of the Marburg Concentration Test for Pre-school Children (German: MKVK)
R Berger1, H Hanschmann, J-P Reese
1Department of Phoniatrics and Paedaudiology, University of Marburg, Deutschhausstraße 3, Marburg, Germany. roswitha.berger@med.uni-marburg.de
Insights
The Marburg Concentration Test for Pre-school Children (MKVK) effectively assesses concentration in young children. It aids in early identification of concentration deficits linked to language development issues.
Area of Science:
- Child Psychology
- Developmental Psychology
- Educational Psychology
Background:
- Early diagnosis of concentration deficits is crucial for children's development.
- Language development disorders can be associated with concentration difficulties.
Purpose of the Study:
- Standardize the Marburg Concentration Test for Pre-school Children (MKVK).
- Establish the MKVK as a tool for early diagnosis of concentration issues in 3- to 6-year-olds.
- Investigate the link between concentration and language development.
Main Methods:
- Conducted the MKVK on 309 children aged 3-6 years in 15 day-care centers.
- Utilized a simple card sorting task (80 cards) to assess concentration.
- Measured performance based on processing time and error count, analyzed across seven age groups.
Main Results:
- Concentration performance shows age dependency in both processing time and error rates.
- Three-year-olds generally took longer and made more errors compared to 4.5- and 5-year-olds.
- Identified two distinct groups among 3-year-olds: those who easily completed the test and those overwhelmed by instructions.
Conclusions:
- The MKVK is a practical tool for assessing preschool children's concentration.
- The test is particularly valuable for 4- and 5-year-olds.
- The study suggests different working methods among children, indicating potential for differentiated support.
Objective:
The objective of this study was the standardization of the Marburg Concentration Test for Pre-school Children (German: MKVK) for 3- to 6-year-old children as an instrument for the early diagnosis of lack of concentration in connection with language development disorders.
Patients And Methods:
We conducted the MKVK on 309 children in 15 day-care centres. The MKVK is a matter of a simple sorting task of 80 cards according to pictures. The ascertainment of the concentration performance is conducted using the criteria processing time and error count. The results are analysed in seven age groups.
Results:
An age dependence is seen in the execution time and a tendency in the amount of errors. Three-year-olds require more time and make more errors than 4.5- and 5-year-olds. Two groups become apparent in the 3-year-olds: children with whom the test is easy to take and children who are still overwhelmed with the instructions and processing.
Conclusion:
The MKVK is easy to conduct and shows children's ability to concentrate at pre-school ages. It proves to be of particular value for the 4- and 5-year-olds. The study gives hints on different work methods of the children. Indications for a differentiated facilitation could be deduced from that.
