A cultural exploration of the national institutes of health neuropsychological cognition battery assessments in India

Cross-cultural exploration and adaptation of psychological tests and assessments is critical to ensure accurate and reliable results. This research study conducted a qualitative cultural exploration of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Cognition Battery assessments in India as an initial step towards the cultural adaptation and validation of the instruments. As the assessments were developed in the United States, they required cultural exploration before they were used in India. Using interpretive phenomenological analysis, the study included a sample of 30 participants across Mumbai, Surat, and Derod. Five themes emerged from the data analysis: contentedness, lack of relatability, recommendations for change, the rural Indian lifestyle, and the variable of education. The most common code was “satisfied.” While this research does indicate that participants comprehend the assessments, recommendations were made to change images and storylines to reflect the Indian culture. They focused on Indian food, Indian clothing, Indian festivals, family, and religion in India. The findings from this study can be used to inform future adaptation and validation of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox Cognition Battery assessments in India.