Predictive validity of the Italian parental questionnaire for developmental evaluation at age 4 (QS4-G)

Aim To examine whether the results at 4 years of age of the developmental questionnaire QS4-G can predict the outcome of cognitive, neuropsychological and academic abilities 4-6 years later. The QS4-G is a validated parental questionnaire designed for the screening and surveillance of the neuropsychological and behavioural developmental status of 4-year-olds (93 questions). Methods Longitudinal prospective study on a subsample of the QS4-G validation original sample was conducted. According to previous results, the sample was divided into two groups: 'at risk' and 'not at risk'. Sensitivity, specificity, accuracy and likelihood ratios were assessed and referred to outcomes. Results Thirty-five children were classified as 'not at risk' and 16 as 'at risk'. There were significant associations between past QS4-G score and cognitive, neuropsychological and academic abilities 4-6 years later. With the same cut-off identified at the first cross-sectional study, sensitivity and specificity for difficulties in cognitive development were 90% and 83% while in the neuropsychological abilities 62% and 90%, respectively. A lower predictive validity was found for difficulties in academic abilities (sensitivity 43%, specificity 86%). QS4-G specific area scores showed significant correlations with related academic tests at follow-up (rho range: 0.404-0.565, P < 0.005). Conclusions QS4-G shows good predictive validity for cognitive development and neuropsychological abilities. The risk of false negatives for academic abilities can be reduced by analysing the specific area results of QS4-G, which show good correlations with related tests at follow-up.

Publication type: 
Articolo
Author or Creator: 
Bevilacqua F.
Giannantoni P.
Pasqualetti P.
Di Ciommo V.M.
Coletti M.F.
Rava L.
Caselli M.C.
Dall'Oglio A.M.
Publisher: 
Blackwell Scientific,, Melbourne, Vic. , Australia
Source: 
Journal of paediatrics and child health (Print) 51 (2015): 600–607. doi:10.1111/jpc.12784
info:cnr-pdr/source/autori:Bevilacqua F.; Giannantoni P.; Pasqualetti P.; Di Ciommo V.M.; Coletti M.F.; Rava L.; Caselli M.C.; Dall'Oglio A.M./titolo:Predictive validity of the Italian parental questionnaire for developmental evaluation at age 4 (QS4-G)/d
Date: 
2015
Resource Identifier: 
http://www.cnr.it/prodotto/i/343230
https://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jpc.12784
info:doi:10.1111/jpc.12784
http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?eid=2-s2.0-84930354049&partnerID=q2rCbXpz
Language: 
Eng
ISTC Author: