Local reference data for the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives in Pristina, Kosovo

Abstract

Currently, there are no standardized or norm-referenced language assessment tools appropriately contextualized for use by speech-language therapists in Kosovo. In this community-based study in collaboration with the non-governmental organization Instituti Kosovar për Logopedi, local reference data for the Albanian adaptation of the Multilingual Assessment Instrument for Narratives (MAIN) were collected in Pristina, Kosovo. Participants were 58 school-aged children (ages 5;7–10;11), who completed tellings and retellings of two stories (Cat and Baby Goats) from the MAIN in Albanian. Information about the children’s demographic and language history and environment was collected using parent-report questionnaires. Reference data for MAIN scores are provided with summary statistics and confidence interval estimates by age group (5–6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 years old). The results indicate that scores from the story structure and comprehension sections of the retelling task may differentiate MAIN performance across age groups most effectively in this population.