Revision of Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire.

Area of Science:

• Pediatrics
• Developmental Psychology
• Health Services Research

Background:

• The Denver Prescreening Developmental Questionnaire (PDQ) was revised to broaden its age range and enhance its utility.
• The revision aimed to improve test item challenge, parent informativeness, and comparability with Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST) norms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties and practical utility of the Revised PDQ (R-PDQ).
• To assess the R-PDQ's ability to identify children with nonnormal developmental screening results.

Main Methods:

• The R-PDQ was administered to children from birth to 6 years.
• Test-retest reliability and parent-teacher agreement were assessed.
• A field test involving 1434 children across various settings was conducted.

Main Results:

• The R-PDQ identified 84% of nonnormal DDST results.
• Test-retest reliability was 94.1%, and parent-teacher agreement was 83%.
• Screening scores varied by setting, ranging from 15.6% in pediatric practices to 50.5% in Head Start programs.

Conclusions:

• The R-PDQ is a reliable and valid tool for developmental screening in young children.
• The R-PDQ is user-friendly for parents and health professionals, suitable for diverse settings.
• Recommendations include combining the R-PDQ with a brief developmental exam for comprehensive screening.