Concurrent validity of intelligence assessments in children with developmental disabilities in an Asian setting: Comparison of the Kaufman brief intelligence test - Second edition with the Wechsler Intelligence Scales.

BACKGROUND: This study was carried out to compare the concurrent validity of the Kaufman Brief Intelligence Test - Second Edition (KBIT-2) with that of two Wechsler Intelligence Scales (Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children - Fifth Edition (WISC-V) and the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence - Fourth Edition (WPPSI-IV)) in an Asian setting. METHODS: A retrospective study reviewed the medical records of 101 children with developmental disorders who were being followed up at a tertiary child development unit. Pearson product moment correlation coefficients were calculated between the KBIT-2 and Wechsler assessment scores. Simple regression analysis was used to calculate standard errors of estimation to assess the accuracy of predicting Wechsler scores using KBIT-2 scores. RESULTS: A strong positive correlation was observed between KBIT-2's Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Composite and WISC-V's Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) scores (r = 0.722, p < 0.01). KBIT-2 IQ composite scores showed a moderately strong positive correlation with WPPSI-IV FSIQ scores (r = 0.648, p < 0.01). Simple regression analysis showed that KBIT-2 scores tended to underestimate or overestimate the Wechsler scores, with the highest variability seen in KBIT-2's Non-Verbal IQ and Wechsler's Fluid Reasoning Index scores (error limits: -53.1 to 39.7). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that KBIT-2 has good concurrent validity when compared to other IQ tests such as the Wechsler scales, and it suggests that KBIT-2 is a good screening tool for assessing intelligence in a group of children with developmental disabilities. Further studies are needed to determine whether KBIT-2 can be used for the purpose of diagnostic decision-making or special education program placement.

"What took you so long?" The impact of PEPFAR on the expansion of HIV testing and counseling services in Africa.

HIV testing and counseling services in Africa began in the early 1990s, with limited availability and coverage. Fears of stigma and discrimination, complex laboratory systems, and lack of available care and treatment services hampered expansion. Use of rapid point-of-care tests, introduction of services to prevent mother-to-child transmission, and increasing provision of antiretroviral drugs were key events in the late 1990s and early 2000s that facilitated the expansion of HIV testing and counseling services. Innovations in service delivery included providing HIV testing in both clinical and community sites, including mobile and home testing. Promotional campaigns were conducted in many countries, and evolutions in policies and guidance facilitated expansion and uptake. Support from President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief and national governments, other donors, and the Global Fund for AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria contributed to significant increases in the numbers of persons tested in many countries. Quality of both testing and counseling, limited number of health care workers, uptake by couples, and effectiveness of linkages and referral systems remain challenges. Expansion of antiretroviral treatment, especially in light of the evidence that treatment contributes to prevention of transmission, will require greater yet strategic coverage of testing services, especially in clinical settings and in combination with other high-impact HIV prevention strategies. Continued support from President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief, governments, and other donors is required for the expansion of testing needed to achieve international targets for the scale-up of treatment and universal access to knowledge of HIV status.