Standardization of the Computerized Battery for Neuropsychological Evaluation of Children (BENCI) in an urban setting, in Kenya: a study protocol

Objective: In sub Saharan Africa one of the key challenges in assessment using neuropsychological tools has been
the lack of adequately validated and easily implementable measures. This study will translate into English, adapt and
standardize the Computerized Battery for Neuropsychological Evaluation of Children (BENCI). The BENCI battery will
be adapted using back-translation design, comprehensive cultural adaptation and standardized in a case–control
study involving two groups of children: HIV infected and HIV unexposed, uninfected children. The content adaptation
will be iteratively carried out using knowledge of English and feedback from pilot testing with children. The proposed
study will frst involve the cultural adaptation of the BENCI. It will then recruit 544 children aged 8–11 years with half
of them being HIV+, while the other half will be HIV unexposed-uninfected. Test–retest reliability will be analyzed
using Pearson’s correlation while ANOVA and correlational analyses will be used to calculate discriminant, convergent
and construct validity.
Results: This study will result in an open access adequately adapted and standardized measure of neuropsychologi‑
cal functioning for use with children in East Africa. The protocol paper provides an opportunity to share the planned
methods and approaches.
Keywords: Cross-cultural neuropsychological assessment, Cognitive functioning in Kenyan children, Reliability,
Convergent validity, Construct validity, Discriminant validity and neurocognitive tests