Classification of Risk Status in Preschool Screening: A Comparison of Alternative Measures

Abstract

The present study examined the classification agreement associated with estimates of risk status across alternative measures for 84 caregivers and preschool children of low socioeconomic status. The study focused on the child variable of educational risk as measured by two instruments: Developmental Indicators for the Assessment of Learning-Revised (DIAL-R) and Screening Children for Related Early Educational Needs (SCREEN). Family risk was measured by the Parenting Stress Index (PSI). Overall, the classification agreement for each comparison was low. The professional practice of preschool screening may require significant reappraisal with regard to classification problems related to risk status and developmental skills.