Validity of the Minnesota Child Development Inventory in screening for language delays in a group of clinic-referred and normal preschoolers.

Abstract

The concurrent validity of the Minnesota Child Development Inventory (MCDI) language scales (Expressive Language and Comprehension-Conceptual) was examined to determine their effectiveness in identifying young preschool-aged children with expressive and/or receptive language delays. Mothers of 75 3- to 5-year-old preschool-aged children completed the MCDI and their ratings were compared with their children's performance on a set of objective, standardized tests examining language functioning. These standardized tests included the Verbal scale of the McCarthy Scales of Children's Abilities, the Expressive One-Word Picture Vocabulary Test, and the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test - Revised. A group of 42 clinic-referred children with known or suspected developmental delay were compared to a group of 33 normal, non-clinic children from local daycare centers. Demographic information was also collected to gain a better understanding of factors which may influence the degree of agreement between maternal report and the children's actual test performance. The appropriateness of using the MCDI language scales for the screening of language delays is discussed.