Theoretical and Practical Challenges of Assessing Developmental Disabilities in Ethiopian Children and Families

Abstract

This short communication attempts to reflect on the theoretical and
practical challenges of assessing the various forms of developmental
disabilities of children in the Ethiopian context and encourage discussions
among researchers and practitioners working in the area of child well being
and their families. The commentary posits some critical issues such as the
importance of contextualizing the meaning of developmental disabilities and
developmentally appropriate behavior, societal attitudes towards disability
and the opportunities we have to explain and interpret these issues in terms
of culturally embedded knowledge are discussed. It also reminds the
academia on the importance of looking inwardly and grasp the essentials of
cultural and institutional heritages and assets for the development of
indigenous psychological knowledge and synthesizing it with the mainstream
psychology to arrive at sound theoretical and practical solution to mitigate
child related developmental problems.