Early Sociocognitive Development Among Spanish-Speaking Participants: A Preliminary Study Using the Early Social...

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Clinical Psychology
• Pediatrics

Background:

• Early sociocognitive skills are foundational for communication, language, and socialization.
• Difficulties in these areas are characteristic of neurodevelopmental disorders like autism spectrum disorder.
• Early identification of delays can serve as a crucial warning sign.

Purpose of the Study:

• To translate, culturally adapt, and validate the Early Social Cognition Inventory (ESCI) for use in Spain.
• To assess the reliability and diagnostic ability of the adapted ESCI in a Spanish population.
• To establish the ESCI as a tool for early detection of sociocognitive development delays.

Main Methods:

• The Early Social Cognition Inventory (ESCI) was translated and adapted for Spain.
• 132 children (18-60 months) from nursery and early intervention centers in Valencia participated.
• Parents completed the ESCI and Social Reactivity Scale (SRS-2 P); children underwent the Early Sociocognitive Battery (ESB) and Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test III (PPVT).

Main Results:

• The adapted ESCI demonstrated good internal consistency (α = 0.78) and significant correlation with criterion measures.
• The tool showed promising diagnostic ability for Autism Spectrum Disorders, with an AUC of 0.94.
• Results indicate the ESCI effectively measures sociocognitive development in the study population.

Conclusions:

• The pilot study suggests the Spanish version of the ESCI is a suitable tool for assessing early sociocognitive development.
• Further research with larger, longitudinal samples is recommended to confirm findings.
• The ESCI has potential as an early screening tool for developmental delays in Spain.