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Investigating the mental abilities of rural Zulu primary school children in South Africa

Introduction. Maximising the full potential of health and educational interventions in South African schools requires assessment of the current level of mental abilities of the school children as measured by cognitive and scholastic tests and the identification of any barriers to improved performance. Objectives. This study reports on the application and interpretation of a selected battery of mental ability tests among Zulu school children and the methodological and analytical issues that need to be addressed. Design The test scores of 806 primary school children from a rural community are presented, based on four tests: Raven's Coloured Progressive Matrices (CPM), an Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), the Symbol Digit Modalities Test (SDMT) and Young's Group Mathematics Test (GMT). Results. Significant gender differences were found in the test scores, and the mean scores of Zulu children in this study were lower than those reported in other studies. The results of this selected test battery provide data for the further development of appropriate test instruments for South African conditions. Conclusion. These results can contribute towards the development of a test battery for South African children that can be used to assess and improve their school performance.