Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 13, 2026
Assessment and Evaluation of the High Risk Neonate: The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale
Published on: August 25, 2014
Validity of the ESSENCE-Q neurodevelopmental screening tool in Japan
Kahoko Yasumitsu-Lovell1,2,3, Lucy Thompson1,4, Elisabeth Fernell1
1Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
Insights
The Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations-Questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q) effectively screens for neurodevelopmental disorders in young children. This tool helps identify children with typical development, aiding early intervention efforts.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Child Psychology
- Public Health Screening
Background:
- Early identification of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) is crucial for timely intervention and improved outcomes.
- Validated screening tools are essential for efficient population-level assessment.
- The Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations-Questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q) is a potential screening tool for NDDs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and clinical utility of the ESSENCE-Q in a large Japanese birth cohort.
- To determine the effectiveness of the ESSENCE-Q in screening for neurodevelopmental problems in 2.5-year-old children.
- To assess the ESSENCE-Q's performance in identifying children with and without neurodevelopmental disorders.
Main Methods:
- A national birth cohort study included 77,612 children aged 2 years 6 months.
- Parents/caregivers completed the 11-item ESSENCE-Q.
- Neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) were assessed at age 3 years; ESSENCE-Q scores were analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis.
Main Results:
- The ESSENCE-Q demonstrated strong screening performance with an Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.91 (cut-off ≥3).
- Sensitivity was 84.9%, specificity 84.8%, and negative predictive value 99.8%, indicating high accuracy in identifying children without NDDs.
- Parental concerns regarding communication and general development significantly differed between children with and without NDDs.
Conclusions:
- The parent-completed ESSENCE-Q is a valuable tool for screening out neurotypical children at an early age in Japan.
- The tool shows promise for early identification of potential neurodevelopmental issues.
- Further research will explore the ESSENCE-Q's long-term predictive validity as more NDD diagnoses emerge.
Aim:
To assess the validity of the Early Symptomatic Syndromes Eliciting Neurodevelopmental Clinical Examinations-Questionnaire (ESSENCE-Q), a simple screening tool for neurodevelopmental problems, in Japan.
Method:
Parents/caregivers completed the 11-item ESSENCE-Q for 77 612 children aged 2 years 6 months included in a national birth cohort study. Information about neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs: autism spectrum disorder; intellectual disability and/or developmental language disorder; motor delay/motor disorder) was collected at age 3 years. Each ESSENCE-Q item was scored on a binary (0,1) scale, with a total score range of 0 to 11. Total scores and individual items were compared across children with and without NDDs.
Results:
NDDs were recorded in 854 children (1.1%). With a total ESSENCE-Q score cut-off of ≥3, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed an area under the curve of 0.91, with sensitivity 84.9%, specificity 84.8%, positive predictive value 5.9%, and negative predictive value 99.8%. The proportion of parental concerns at 2 years 6 months differed significantly by NDD status for communication (89.5% vs 14.2%) and general development (80.2% vs 7.4%). ESSENCE-Q total scores were moderately negatively correlated (-0.36, p < 0.001) with Japanese Ages and Stages Questionnaire scores.
Interpretation:
The parent/caregiver-completed ESSENCE-Q is useful as a tool for screening out children with neurotypical development at this early age. Further research into longer-term predictive validity will be possible as more NDD diagnoses are given as the children grow up.
