Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
ESSENCE-Q obtained in routine Japanese public child health check-ups may be a valuable tool in neurodevelopmental
Yuhei Hatakenaka1,2,3, Masato Maeda2,4, Hitoshi Ninomiya2,5
1Faculty of Humanities and Sociologies, University of the Ryukyus, Nishihara, Okinawa, Japan.
Insights
The Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations-Questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q) shows good validity when used by nurses and psychologists for screening young children at 20 months. Further research is needed to confirm its effectiveness.
Area of Science:
- Child development
- Neurodevelopmental disorders
- Screening tools
Background:
- Early identification of neurodevelopmental disorders is crucial for timely intervention.
- The Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations-Questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q) is a tool for screening young children.
- Extending the validity of the ESSENCE-Q in diverse populations is important for its wider application.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate and extend the validity of the ESSENCE-Q in young children.
- To assess the ESSENCE-Q's performance when administered by mothers, public health nurses, and psychologists.
Main Methods:
- Data from 207 children in Japan were collected at 20- and 40-month check-ups.
- The ESSENCE-Q data were compared against physician-made ESSENCE diagnoses.
- Statistical analyses included ROC curves, sensitivity, specificity, PPVs, NPVs, and clinical utility index.
Main Results:
- Public health nurses and psychologists demonstrated good ESSENCE-Q validity at 20 months.
- Psychologists showed good validity at both 20 and 40 months.
- Mothers' use of the ESSENCE-Q did not demonstrate good validity.
Conclusions:
- The ESSENCE-Q is a valid screening tool when used by nurses and psychologists, particularly at 20 months.
- Further studies are recommended to confirm the ESSENCE-Q's effectiveness in identifying children requiring neurodevelopmental assessment.
Aim:
Our aim was to extend the validity of a questionnaire developed for screening and identifying early symptomatic syndromes eliciting neurodevelopmental clinical examinations-questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q) in young children.
Methods:
Early symptomatic syndromes eliciting neurodevelopmental clinical examinations-questionnaire data for 207 children, living in Aki City, Japan, in 2014-2015, were obtained from mothers, public health nurses and psychologists at 20- and 40-month routine check-ups at child healthcare centres. These were checked against subsequent ESSENCE diagnoses made by physicians. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed, and the area under the curves was compared. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive values (PPVs) and negative predictive values were calculated at optimal cut-off values. The clinical utility index was also calculated.
Results:
When the ESSENCE-Q was used by public health nurses, it demonstrated good validity, in terms of high sensitivity and high NPVs, at the 20-month check-up, but not at 40 months. Psychologists demonstrated good validity at both ages, but mothers did not. Good negative utility indexes, indicating screening accuracy, were obtained from the psychologists at both check-ups and from nurses at 20 months.
Conclusion:
The ESSENCE-Q results used by nurses and psychologists showed good validity. Future studies should confirm the effectiveness of this tool to identify children in need of clinical detailed neurodevelopmental assessment.
