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Neuropsychological Assessment at Preschool Age: Adaptation and Validation of the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities to 4 Year-old Basque-speaking Children

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 October 2017

Ainara Andiarena ,
Nekane Balluerka ,
Arantxa Gorostiaga  and
Jesús Ibarluzea
Ainara Andiarena*
Affiliation:
Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Univertsitatea (UPV/EHU, Spain)
Nekane Balluerka
Affiliation:
Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Univertsitatea (UPV/EHU, Spain)
Arantxa Gorostiaga
Affiliation:
Universidad del Pais Vasco / Euskal Herriko Univertsitatea (UPV/EHU, Spain)
Jesús Ibarluzea
Affiliation:
Biodonostia Health Research Institute (Spain)
*
*Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Ainara Andiarena. University of Basque Country (UPV/EHU). Avda. Tolosa Hirib., 70. 20018. Donostia-San Sebastián (Spain). E-mail: ainara.andiarena@ehu.eus
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Abstract

Early neuropsychological assessment provides important information for clinical practice and research. As previously no tool for neuropsychological assessment has been developed in or adapted to Basque, the aim of this study was to adapt and validate the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities for 4 years old children. The adaptation and validation of the original instrument followed the methodological steps established by the International Test Commission. We examined the psychometric properties of the adapted instrument in 273 Basque preschool children (aged between 4 years and 4 months and 4 years and 11 months; 52.2% boys). Confirmatory factor analysis showed satisfactory fit indexes except for the General Cognitive and Memory scales. Most scales presented adequate internal consistency (Reliability coefficients ranged between .55 and .81). The Basque version also showed evidence of validity based on the relationship between neuropsychological development and sex, parental education, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder-like behaviours and early neurodevelopment (p < .05; effect sizes ranged between Cohen’s d = .26 and .52 and r = .15 and 39). The Basque MSCA can be regarded as a useful tool to evaluate cognitive and psychomotor development in preschool children.

Keywords

BasqueMSCAneuropsychological assessmentpreschoolvalidation
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 20 , 2017 , E49
Copyright
Copyright © Universidad Complutense de Madrid and Colegio Oficial de Psicólogos de Madrid 2017 

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Footnotes

How to cite this article:

Andiarena, A., Balluerka, N., Gorostiaga, A., & Ibarluzea, J. (2017). Neuropsychological assessment at preschool age: Adaptation and validation of the McCarthy Scales of Children’s Abilities to 4 year-old Basque-speaking children. The Spanish Journal of Psychology, 20. e49. Doi:10.1017/sjp.2017.49

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