Use of the 1996 Griffiths Mental Development Scales for infants: a pilot study with a Black, South African sample

Over the last few years, researchers have made a significant effort to address the need for more reliable and valid assessment measures for South Africa. The objective of this study was to acquire empirical data regarding the use and application of the Griffiths Mental Development Scales with Black South African infants.

Specifically, the study aimed to make a preliminary cross-cultural comparison of the performance of Black South African infants and the British normative sample of the Griffiths Scales (Huntley 1996). The South African sample consisted of 40 infants aged between 13 and 16 months, with approximately equal numbers of boys and girls.

The finding was that the South African sample performed significantly better than the British norm group on the Eye-Hand Co-ordination Scale (Scale D) and the Performance Scale (Scale E), while the norm group scored significantly higher on the Personal-Social Scale (Scale B).

The implications of these results are discussed in the paper.