Browsing by Author "Smith, Mario R."

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    Emotional social screening tool for school readiness (e3sr-r): adaptation into Afrikaans
    (AOSIS (pty) Ltd, 2025) Munnik, Erica; Adams, Nuraan; Smith, Mario R.
    The Emotional Social Screening Tool for School Readiness – Revised (E3SR-R) is a contextually sensitive and psychometrically sound measure developed to screen emotional-social competence in preschool learners in South Africa, a multilingual country. The original measure was constructed in English. This article reports on the translation of the E3SR-R into Afrikaans. A three-phase design was adopted. Phase 1: Independent reviewers evaluated the E3SR-R for conceptual validity. The Conceptual Construct Validity Appraisal Checklist was used to assess whether the E3SR-R was theoretically sound prior to adaptation. Phase 2 entailed translation of the E3SR-R. Reviewers used the Quality of Translation and Linguistic Equivalence Checklist to assess compliance with International Test Commission (ITC) guidelines. Phase 3 established content validity of the translation using a Delphi panel of 9 experts. The panel concluded within one round. Ethics clearance was granted by the University of the Western Cape. All applicable ethics principles were upheld. In Phase 1, a high level of inter-rater agreement confirmed that the E3SR had conceptual construct validity that supported adaptation. Phase 2 produced an Afrikaans translation. Raters had a high level of agreement that the adaptation complied with ITC guidelines. The Delphi panel concluded that the Afrikaans version demonstrated content validity. The Afrikaans translation of the E3SR-R was linguistically equivalent. Contribution: The study employed a rigorous methodology that underscored the importance of establishing conceptual construct validity, evaluating the translation process and establishing content validity in translation studies. Access to screening tools for emotional-social competence in pre-schoolers was expanded.
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    The perceptions of psychometric assessment amongst student psychologist and clinical training staff
    (University of the Western Cape, 2022) Mabunda, Vunene; Smith, Mario R.
    The aim of the present study was to explore the perceptions of psychometric assessment amongst student psychologist and clinical training staff. Clinical training for Psychologists has competence in psychological assessment as an outcome. As such, first year clinical psychology (M1) students are required to complete practical training in psychological assessment. It has been consistently reported though that upon reaching their clinical internship, students do not have adequate experience in psychological assessment with many not possessing the basic skills required to conduct the necessary types of assessment at their internship sites. The present study was conducted in the Psychology department at the University of the Western Cape.
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    Psychology students' perceptions of the extent to which group-based systematic review methodology at Honours level prepared them for further postgraduate studies.
    (University of the Western Cape, 2016) Swart, Celeste; Smith, Mario R.
    Honours students in Psychology typically form larger cohorts with numbers ranging from 20 to 40 students in comparison to other disciplines that have fewer than 10 students in a cohort. The National Qualifications Framework (NQF) requires Honours students to complete a thesis that is equivalent to 300 notional hours or 30 credits. The learning outcome is that students conduct low level research that prepares them for conceptualizing, executing and writing up a research project. The thesis requirement should also prepare them for future studies. The larger cohorts and revised NQF thesis requirement places increased pressure on the staff compliment of Psychology departments. Some of the ways in which departments have attempted to cope with this increased demand include conducting group-based research projects, and secondary research projects. One of the concerns raised is whether these particular types of methodology prepared students adequately for reactive research in further studies. This study aimed to explore students' subjective perceptions about the extent to which group-based systematic review methodology in the Honours year adequately prepared students for conducting research during their masters-level studies. An explorative study was conducted to explore the experiences of purposively selected recent graduates from two identified Honours programmes that have progressed to Masters level studies. Participants were invited on the basis of being graduates or alumni rather than their registration status as Masters students at particular universities.