Preschool Screening Using the Parent's Preschool Development Inventory Report

Abstract

This study describes the use of a parent report Preschool Development Inventory (PDI) in preschool screening. The PDI obtains the parent's report of the child's present development and possible problems. PDI results for three and four-year-olds seen for screening at public schools (N = 220) were analyzed to determine (a) the occurrence of low General Development Scale scores and various symptoms and behavior problems, and (b) the relationship of PDI results indicating problems to subsequent placement in early childhood/special education. Eleven percent of children obtained a low General Development Scale score on the PDI, while fourteen percent had one or more symptoms or behavior problems that could constitute a major obstacle to learning reported. Validity of the PDI for predicting early childhood/special education placement was determined via a sensitivity/specificity analysis: Sensitivity was .68; positive predictive power was .41.