Enelamah Ngozi V, Rao Smitha, Lombe Margaret, Yu Mansoo, Newransky Chrisann, Villodas Melissa L, Foell Andrew, Nebbitt Von
Department of Social Work, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824, USA.
College of Social Work, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA.
Children (Basel). 2024 Mar 19;11(3):361. doi: 10.3390/children11030361.
An estimated 6 million children under the age of five in Nigeria (out of nearly 31 million) risk not reaching their full developmental potential. The dearth of context-relevant measures poses a challenge to the planning and implementation of effective interventions. This study assesses the utility of the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI) in Nigeria. We used the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys to track progress among 3- to 4-year-old children (n = 11,073); 3-year-old, 51%; female, 49%. Using random calibration samples, the results from psychometric tests indicate that while over half of the children were on track in their development based on the ECDI, the instrument had low to average internal consistency and weak face validity, suggesting an inadequacy in capturing ECD information of value. At the outset of the launch of the new ECDI2030, the results of this study point to the need for continued discourse and advocacy for the use of culturally appropriate measures of child development, and a child-centered community engagement approach. This is essential in ensuring accountability and responsive interventions for the children served and their families.
据估计，尼日利亚近3100万5岁以下儿童中有600万可能无法充分发挥其发育潜力。缺乏与实际情况相关的措施给有效干预措施的规划和实施带来了挑战。本研究评估了幼儿发展指数（ECDI）在尼日利亚的效用。我们使用多指标类集调查来跟踪3至4岁儿童（n = 11,073）的进展情况；3岁儿童占51%，女性占49%。通过随机校准样本，心理测量测试结果表明，虽然根据ECDI超过一半的儿童发育正常，但该工具的内部一致性较低至中等，表面效度较弱，这表明在获取有价值的幼儿发展信息方面存在不足。在新的ECDI2030推出之初，本研究结果表明，需要继续进行讨论并倡导使用符合文化背景的儿童发育测量方法，以及采用以儿童为中心的社区参与方法。这对于确保为所服务的儿童及其家庭提供可问责且有效的干预措施至关重要。
