Abstract
Background: Developmental monitoring, performed using culturally relevant tools, is of critical importance for all young children. The ASQ-TRAK is the culturally and linguistically adapted Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), a developmental screening tool, for Australian Aboriginal children. While the ASQ-TRAK has been well received in practice, investigating its psychometric properties will enable professionals to make informed decisions about its use.
Aims: To conduct a rigorous validation study of the ASQ-TRAK by applying Kane's argument-based approach.
Subjects: The ASQ-TRAK, Bayley-III and/or BDI-2 were administered cross-sectionally to 336 Australian Aboriginal children aged 2–48 months across ten participating sites in the Northern Territory and South Australia. A sample of staff and caregivers completed feedback surveys about the ASQ-TRAK.
Results: ASQ-TRAK domain scores were moderately positively correlated with corresponding domain scores on the Bayley-III or BDI-2. Inter-rater and inter-instrument reliability were high. Sensitivity (83%), specificity (83%) and negative predictive value (99%) were acceptable. Staff and caregivers expressed high levels of satisfaction with the ASQ-TRAK.
Conclusions: Regular developmental screening can provide important information about developmental vulnerability and the need for services. The ASQ-TRAK should be administered by trained Aboriginal community-based workers and the implementation approach carefully planned. Areas for future research include longitudinal follow-up of children, investigating existing norms and cut-off scores, and considering the appropriateness of the ASQ-TRAK with Aboriginal people from different locations. The ASQ-TRAK has the potential to fill an important gap by enabling better access to high-quality developmental monitoring and targeted early intervention.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Article number | 105481 |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-9 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Early Human Development |
| Volume | 163 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Dec 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:The PANDORA Wave 1 study was funded by an NHMRC Project
Grant (107833) and the Channel 7 Children’s Research Foundation.
SS was supported by an Australian Government Research Training
Program Scholarship, a Jack Keating Fund Scholarship, and a Science of
Learning Research Centre PhD grant.
AT was supported by an NHMRC Postgraduate Scholarship and
RACP NHMRC Woolcock Scholarship.
LMB was supported by an NHMRC Practitioner Fellowship (1078477)
and NHMRC Investigator Grant (1194698).
AD was supported by an ARC Science of Learning Centre Postdoctoral
Fellowship.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Elsevier B.V.
Copyright:
Copyright 2021 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.