Sensitivity and specificity of “Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social-emotional” (ASQ: SE-2) in a Colombian population

Abstract

The timely detection of risks in emotional development requires valid and reliable instruments that sufficiently evaluate the construct. In Colombia, the Personal-social Subscale of the Abbreviated Development Scale (EAD-3 by its acronym in Spanish) is used; however, there are instruments that more fully evaluate the dimensions of social-emotional development for which there is no conclusive evidence on their sensitivity and specificity in the Colombian population. This instrumental study had the objective of identifying the sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaires for 6, 12, 18, 24, 30 and 36 months of the ASQ: SE-2. The sample was composed of 512 boys and girls between 3 and 36 months of age, from the city of Colombia of the Colombian Institute of Family Welfare and the Secretariat for Women, Gender Equality and Social Development. The comparative analysis between the ASQ:SE-2 and the Personal-social subscale of the EAD-3, showed relationship between the two instruments to identify risk in social-emotional development in the 6 (X2(1, 85)= 7.869, p=.005), 18 (X2(1, 97)= 15.966, p=.000), and 36 month (X2(1, 50) =11.387, p=.001) questionnaires. The ASQ: SE-2 reports optimal levels of specificity and adequate sensitivity in the 12 and 18-month questionnaires. The results of the research provide positive evidence on the use of the ASQ: SE-2 as a recommended instrument for the screening of social-emotional development in the Colombian population.