Psychometric evaluation of the computerized battery for neuropsychological evaluation of children (BENCI) among school aged children in the context of HIV in an urban Kenyan setting
Metadatos
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Springer Nature
Materia
Cognitive test Validity Reliability Kenya School-aged children HIV
Fecha
2023-05-29Referencia bibliográfica
Rachel, M., Jia, H., Amina, A. et al. Psychometric evaluation of the computerized battery for neuropsychological evaluation of children (BENCI) among school aged children in the context of HIV in an urban Kenyan setting. BMC Psychiatry 23, 373 (2023). [https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-023-04880-z]
Patrocinador
Mental Health Development in Sub-Saharan Africa (PaM-D) (NIMH award number U19MH98718); The Kenyatta National Hospital’s Research & Programs Department; Office Of The Director, National Institutes Of Health (OD); The National Institute Of Biomedical Imaging And Bioengineering (NIBIB),; The National Institute Of Mental Health (NIMH); The Fogarty International Center (FIC) of the National Institutes of Health under award number U54TW012089Resumen
Introduction Culturally validated neurocognitive measures for children in Low- and Middle-Income Countries are
important in the timely and correct identification of neurocognitive impairments. Such measures can inform development
of interventions for children exposed to additional vulnerabilities like HIV infection. The Battery for Neuropsychological
Evaluation of Children (BENCI) is an openly available, computerized neuropsychological battery specifically
developed to evaluate neurocognitive impairment. This study adapted the BENCI and evaluated its reliability and
validity in Kenya.
Methodology The BENCI was adapted using translation and back-translation from Spanish to English. The psychometric
properties were evaluated in a case–control study of 328 children (aged 6 – 14 years) living with HIV and
260 children not living with HIV in Kenya. We assessed reliability, factor structure, and measurement invariance with
respect to HIV. Additionally, we examined convergent validity of the BENCI using tests from the Kilifi Toolkit.
Results Internal consistencies (0.49 < α < 0.97) and test–retest reliabilities (-.34 to .81) were sufficient-to-good for most
of the subtests. Convergent validity was supported by significant correlations between the BENCI’s Verbal memory
and Kilifi’s Verbal List Learning (r = .41), the BENCI’s Visual memory and Kilifi’s Verbal List Learning (r = .32) and the BENCI’s
Planning total time test and Kilifi’s Tower Test (r = - .21) and the BENCI’s Abstract Reasoning test and Kilifi’s Raven’s
Progressive Matrix (r = .21). The BENCI subtests highlighted meaningful differences between children living with HIV
and those not living with HIV. After some minor adaptions, a confirmatory four-factor model consisting of flexibility,
fluency, reasoning and working memory fitted well (χ2 = 135.57, DF = 51, N = 604, p < .001, RMSEA = .052, CFI = .944,
TLI = .914) and was partially scalar invariant between HIV positive and negative groups.
Conclusion The English version of the BENCI formally translated for use in Kenya can be further adapted and integrated
in clinical and research settings as a valid and reliable cognitive test battery.