Simpson S

Eadie T

Khoo ST

Titmuss A

Maple-Brown LJ

Thompson R

Wunungmurra A

Jeyaseelan D

Dunham M

D'Aprano A

2021-12-01

BACKGROUND: Developmental monitoring, performed using culturally relevant tools, is of critical importance for all young children. The ASQ-TRAK is the culturally and linguistically adapted Ages and Stages Questionnaire (ASQ-3), a developmental screening tool, for Australian Aboriginal children. While the ASQ-TRAK has been well received in practice, investigating its psychometric properties will enable professionals to make informed decisions about its use. AIMS: To conduct a rigorous validation study of the ASQ-TRAK by applying Kane's argument-based approach. SUBJECTS: The ASQ-TRAK, Bayley-III and/or BDI-2 were administered cross-sectionally to 336 Australian Aboriginal children aged 2-48 months across ten participating sites in the Northern Territory and South Australia. A sample of staff and caregivers completed feedback surveys about the ASQ-TRAK. RESULTS: ASQ-TRAK domain scores were moderately positively correlated with corresponding domain scores on the Bayley-III or BDI-2. Inter-rater and inter-instrument reliability were high. Sensitivity (83%), specificity (83%) and negative predictive value (99%) were acceptable. Staff and caregivers expressed high levels of satisfaction with the ASQ-TRAK. CONCLUSIONS: Regular developmental screening can provide important information about developmental vulnerability and the need for services. The ASQ-TRAK should be administered by trained Aboriginal community-based workers and the implementation approach carefully planned. Areas for future research include longitudinal follow-up of children, investigating existing norms and cut-off scores, and considering the appropriateness of the ASQ-TRAK with Aboriginal people from different locations. The ASQ-TRAK has the potential to fill an important gap by enabling better access to high-quality developmental monitoring and targeted early intervention.

Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia. Electronic address: samantha.simpson@unimelb.edu.au.

Graduate School of Education, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

The Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER).

Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, NT, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, Division of Women, Children and Youth, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia.

Wellbeing and Preventable Chronic Diseases Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, NT, Australia; Department of Endocrinology, Royal Darwin Hospital, NT, Australia.

Department of Education, Northern Territory Government, NT, Australia.

Department of Education, Northern Territory Government, NT, Australia; Yolŋu.

Child Development Unit, Women's and Children's Hospital, Women's and Children's Health Network, SA, Australia.

Child and Family Health Service, Women's and Children's Health Network, SA, Australia.

Department of Paediatrics, The University of Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Centre for Child Development and Education, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, NT, Australia; Population Health Theme, Policy and Equity Group, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, VIC, Australia.

Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Early Hum Dev. 2021 Dec;163:105481. doi: 10.1016/j.earlhumdev.2021.105481. Epub 2021 Oct 6.

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34678586/?otool=iaurydwlib

https://hdl.handle.net/10137/11966

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The ASQ-TRAK: Validating a culturally adapted developmental screening tool for Australian Aboriginal children.

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