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.