Test-retest reliability of the Capute scales for neurodevelopmental screening of a high risk sample: Impact of test-retest interval and degree of neonatal risk.
OBJECTIVE
Reliable and valid screening and assessment tools are necessary to identify children at risk for neurodevelopmental disabilities who may require additional services. This study evaluated the test-retest reliability of the Capute Scales in a high-risk sample, hypothesizing adequate reliability across 6- and 12-month intervals.


METHODS
Capute Scales scores (N = 66) were collected via retrospective chart review from a NICU follow-up clinic within a large urban medical center spanning three age-ranges: 12-18, 19-24, and 25-36 months. On average, participants were classified as very low birth weight and premature. Reliability of the Capute Scales was evaluated with intraclass correlation coefficients across length of test-retest interval, age at testing, and degree of neonatal complications.


RESULTS
The Capute Scales demonstrated high reliability, regardless of length of test-retest interval (ranging from 6 to 14 months) or age of participant, for all index scores, including overall Developmental Quotient (DQ), language-based skill index (CLAMS) and nonverbal reasoning index (CAT). Linear regressions revealed that greater neonatal risk was related to poorer test-retest reliability; however, reliability coefficients remained strong.


CONCLUSIONS
The Capute Scales afford clinicians a reliable and valid means of screening and assessing for neurodevelopmental delay within high-risk infant populations.
Drexel University College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Psychology, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
M
M
McCurdy
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Department of Neuropsychology, Baltimore, MD, USA.
A
A
Bellows
Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health, Department of Biostatistics, Baltimore, MD, USA.
D
D
Deng
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Division of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
M
M
Leppert
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Department of Neuropsychology, Baltimore, MD, USA.
E
E
Mahone
Kennedy Krieger Institute, Department of Neuropsychology, Baltimore, MD, USA.
A
A
Pritchard
D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007230:Infant, Low Birth Weight; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D065886:Neurodevelopmental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation; D012015:Reference Standards; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment
CAT/CLAMS; Prematurity; developmental screener; neonatology; psychometrics