TY - JOUR

T1 - Elaboration of Screening Scales for Mental Development Problems Detection in Russian Preschool Children: Psychometric Approach

AU - Nasledov, Andrey

AU - Miroshnikov, Sergey

AU - Tkacheva, Liubov

AU - Goncharov, Vadim ч

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2020 by the authors.

PY - 2020/9

Y1 - 2020/9

N2 - Background: computer-based screenings are usually used for early detection of a child’s mental development problems. However, there are no such screenings in Russia yet. This study aimed to elaborate scales for rapid monitoring of mental development of 3-year-olds. Methods: 863 children took part in the study, among them 814 children of the group Norm, 49 children with developmental delay (DD), including 23 children with symptoms of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The multifactor study of mental development tool was used as a part of a software complex for longitudinal research for data collection. This study used a set of 233 tasks that were adequate for 3-year-olds. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used for the elaboration and factor validation of the scales. The structure of the relationship between scales and age was refined using structural equation modeling. Results: as a result of the research, screening scales were elaborated: “Logical reasoning”, “Motor skills”, “General awareness”, “Executive functions”. The factor validity and reliability of scales were proved. The high discriminability of the scales in distinguishing the “Norm” and “DD” samples was revealed. The developed test norms take into account the child’s age in days and allow identifying a “risk group” with an expected forecast accuracy of at least 90%. The obtained scales meet psychometric requirements for their application and allow creating an online screening system for wide application.

AB - Background: computer-based screenings are usually used for early detection of a child’s mental development problems. However, there are no such screenings in Russia yet. This study aimed to elaborate scales for rapid monitoring of mental development of 3-year-olds. Methods: 863 children took part in the study, among them 814 children of the group Norm, 49 children with developmental delay (DD), including 23 children with symptoms of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD). The multifactor study of mental development tool was used as a part of a software complex for longitudinal research for data collection. This study used a set of 233 tasks that were adequate for 3-year-olds. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis was used for the elaboration and factor validation of the scales. The structure of the relationship between scales and age was refined using structural equation modeling. Results: as a result of the research, screening scales were elaborated: “Logical reasoning”, “Motor skills”, “General awareness”, “Executive functions”. The factor validity and reliability of scales were proved. The high discriminability of the scales in distinguishing the “Norm” and “DD” samples was revealed. The developed test norms take into account the child’s age in days and allow identifying a “risk group” with an expected forecast accuracy of at least 90%. The obtained scales meet psychometric requirements for their application and allow creating an online screening system for wide application.

KW - Screening

KW - markers of mental development

KW - ASD

KW - Developmental delay

KW - Construction of scales

KW - 3-year-olds

KW - Markers of mental development

KW - screening

KW - construction of scales

KW - AUTISM

KW - PSYCHOMOTOR DEVELOPMENT

KW - BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS

KW - SYMPTOMS

KW - EXECUTIVE FUNCTION

KW - developmental delay

KW - OUTCOMES

KW - DELAY

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85090331860&partnerID=8YFLogxK

UR - https://www.mendeley.com/catalogue/c8ea9fd6-c885-3024-9eb5-3f2f321041e9/

U2 - 10.3390/diagnostics10090646

DO - 10.3390/diagnostics10090646

M3 - Article

VL - 10

JO - Diagnostics

JF - Diagnostics

SN - 2075-4418

IS - 9

M1 - 646

ER -