Premium
THE LOCK BOX: AN INSTRUMENT TO EVALUATE MENTAL ORGANIZATION IN PRESCHOOL CHILDREN
Author(s) -
Goodman Joan F.
Publication year - 1979
Publication title -
journal of child psychology and psychiatry
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 3.652
H-Index - 211
eISSN - 1469-7610
pISSN - 0021-9630
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-7610.1979.tb00517.x
Subject(s) - psychology , lock (firearm) , developmental psychology , mechanical engineering , engineering
SUMMARY The Lock Box, a large rectangular container with 10 latched doors, each housing a different toy, is designed to investigate mental organization in young children. It differs from general intelligence and special ability tests by emphasizing how a child approaches a problematic situation, rather than how much he knows. The Box has received preliminary validation as a diagnostic instrument in a study of 57 retarded and normal youngsters. In addition to its use as a screening instrument for mental retardation, the Box may identify mental disorganization in normal children (the cognitively hyperactive/distractible group) as well as good mental organization in retarded children (the delayed but not deviant retarded group).