title: Developmental evaluation at age 4: Validity of an Italian parental questionnaire.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To validate an Italian parental questionnaire designed to evaluate the neuropsychological and behavioural developmental status of 4-year-olds and identify children in need of further evaluation.
  
  
  METHODS
  The questionnaire (Questionario per la valutazione dello Sviluppo di bambini a 4 anni - Genitori (QS4-G) ) consisted of 93 questions divided into 10 areas: language, visual-motor abilities, memory/attention, fine and gross motor and self-help abilities, lateralisation, social skills, stress, sleep, alimentation and evacuation. It was distributed to 263 parents of 4-year-olds: 94 healthy preterm (gestational age <33 weeks and/or <1500 g, without major neurosensory damage); 44 children with developmental disorders and 125 children with typical development. Cognitive and neuropsychological evaluations were performed using standardised tests.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The internal consistency of the areas was adequate (Cronbach's alpha: 0.69-0.79). The correlation coefficients (r=|0.30|-|0.68|) with standardised tests (Griffiths, Vineland and neuropsychological tests) indicated a good concurrent validity. The receiver operating characteristic curve, for predicting a Griffiths Quotient less than 81, showed an area under the curve of 0.90 and a high diagnostic and discriminatory capacity (sensitivity of 0.88 and specificity of 0.84) for the optimal cut-off (value 48.4).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The QS4-G seems to be a valid tool for identifying 4-year-old children at risk for low or borderline cognitive development and/or problematic behaviour who need a complete assessment. It can describe individual neuropsychological profiles. QS4-G is not a diagnostic tool. It is useful for outcome studies in preterm children and in other pathologies. It could also be useful for preschooler prevention programmes.
authors.affiliation: Unit of Clinical Psychology and Neuropsychology, Child Neuropsychiatry, IRCCS Paediatric Hospital Bambino Gesù, Piazza S. Onofrio 4, 00165 Rome, Italy. amdalloglio@opbg.net
authors.forename: Anna Maria
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Dall'Oglio
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rossiello
authors.forename: Maria Franca
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Coletti
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Caselli
authors.forename: Lucilla
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ravà
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: di Ciommo
authors.forename: Marcello
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orzalesi
authors.forename: Patrizia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Giannantoni
authors.forename: Patrizio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pasqualetti
mesh_terms: D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires