Information and Communication Technology-based Assessment for Children with Developmental Needs: Kids Brain Balancer.

Abstract

Introduction: This study examined the test-retest reliability of the Kids Brain Balancer, a tablet-based cognitive assessment app, among children in the special education system and gathered preliminary validity evidence by evaluating score agreement with the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children, Fourth Edition (WISC-IV).

Methods: A total of 36 children undergoing special education (aged 7-11 years) completed the Balancer tasks more than three times for over 1 month. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) facilitated the analysis of score reliability across sessions. Score agreement with Wechsler indices were evaluated for each task.

Results: Of the nine tasks, six demonstrated moderate-to-good reliability for raw or age-adjusted scores. The Full-Scale Intelligence Quotient (FSIQ), composite scores on the WISC-IV, and Balancer index scores on several tasks exhibited moderate-to-strong correlations over three repeated test administrations. Agreement with the FSIQ varied; however, most visuospatial/executive tasks initially correlated better, whereas verbal/working memory tasks converged by the third session. Those with lower baseline scores exhibited improvement in agreement over repeat testing.

Conclusions: This study provides initial evidence supporting the validity and test-retest reliability of the Kids Brain Balancer in evaluating intellectual/cognitive functioning among children undergoing special education. Enhancement and wider testing could establish this convenient tool to support evaluation of diverse developmental needs.