Development and validation of language evaluation scale Trivandrum for children aged 0-3 years--LEST (0-3)

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Speech-Language Pathology

Background:

• Early identification of language development delay is crucial for timely intervention.
• Existing screening tools may not be suitable for community-based settings.
• A simple, validated tool is needed for widespread use.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a community-based screening tool for language development delay in children aged 0-3 years.
• To establish the reliability and validity of the Language Evaluation Scale Trivandrum for 0-3 years (LEST (0-3)).

Main Methods:

• The LEST (0-3) was developed using expert selection of 33 items from existing language development scales.
• Criterion validity was assessed in a community sample of 643 children (0-3 years).
• LEST (0-3) was validated against the Receptive Expressive Emergent Language Scale.

Main Results:

• LEST (0-3) demonstrated high sensitivity (95.85%) and specificity (77.5%) when one item delay indicated a positive screen.
• With two item delays, sensitivity was 66.7% and specificity was 94.8%.
• The tool showed good test-retest (ICC=0.69) and inter-rater (ICC=0.94) reliability.

Conclusions:

• LEST (0-3) is a simple, reliable, and valid screening tool for identifying language development delays in children aged 0-3 years.
• The tool is suitable for community-based use.
• Early identification facilitates timely intervention practices.