Exploring the validity of the ASQ-SE for socio-emotional competency screening of a low-risk Asian cohort at 2 years of age

• DOI: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2024.105951
• Publication Date: 2024-01-28T13:21:28Z
• Authors: Pratibha Keshav A...; Huichao Xie; Anu Sathyan Sathy...; Ellen Ghim Hoon Tay; Michael J. Meaney; Keith M. Godfrey; Shirong Cai; Helen Yu Chen; Yap Seng Chong; Victor Samuel Raj...; Lourdes Mary Daniel
• Keywords: CBCL; Child Behavior Checklist; Concurrent validity; Symptom Checklist 90

To assess the Ages & Stages Questionnaire: Social-Emotional (ASQ-SE)'s concurrent validity in a low-risk Singapore cohort and study its association with maternal mental health status.Concurrent validity of the parent-filled ASQ-SE with Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL1.5-5) was evaluated in 341 children at age 24 months. Data on maternal anxiety and depression were collected using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) and Beck Depression Inventory-Second Version (BDI-II). ASQ-SE cut-off scores based on receiver operating characteristic curve were compared to CBCL scores to derive a local ASQ-SE "at risk" cut-off score. Correlations of ASQ-SE with CBCL scores and with maternal STAI and BDI scores were evaluated using Pearson coefficients.Using a cut-off score of 51 at 24 months, ASQ-SE had acceptable concurrent validity, with an AUC of 0.819(0.765-0.872), 70 % sensitivity and 79 % specificity. Mothers of children with "at-risk" ASQ-SE scores had significantly higher STAI and BDI-II scores. ASQ-SE had moderate- high correlations (r = 0.32-0.53) (p < .01) with CBCL scores at 24 and 48 months and with maternal mental health status(r = 0.32).ASQ-SE can be a useful tool for screening child's socio-emotional competence for primary health care use in Singapore Dyadic mental health screening would be helpful in identifying families at risk.