Examining the Research Gap in Culturally Adapted Developmental Screening Tools for Nigerian Children

Developmental screening in Nigerian ECD contexts relies primarily on instruments developed for Western populations, and systematically examining the research gap in culturally adapted tools identifies priorities for instrument development to serve the Nigerian early childhood field. This study examined the research gap in culturally adapted developmental screening tools for Nigerian children through systematic literature review and primary stakeholder research. A systematic scoping review of 10 databases identified 24 publications from 2018 to 2024 on developmental screening in Nigeria, of which only 4 reported on tools specifically adapted for Nigerian cultural and linguistic contexts. Primary research comprised surveys of 100 ECD practitioners and 30 paediatric clinicians across six states on current screening practice, tool challenges, and cultural validity concerns. Survey results confirmed that 72 percent used unadapted or partially adapted foreign tools and that cultural validity concerns were the most cited challenge (74 percent of respondents). The six most frequently reported cultural validity problems were identified, including inappropriate normative samples, culturally absent item content, and language translation limitations. The study identifies seven priority research directions and proposes a Nigerian Child Developmental Screening Tool Development Agenda as an original contribution. Recommendations include TETFUND funding for a large-scale normative study, NUC-endorsed collaboration between ECD and paediatric faculties, and priority adaptation of the widely used Ages and Stages Questionnaire to the Nigerian context.

Keywords: developmental screening, culturally adapted tools, Nigeria, research gap, early childhood assessment