The Diagnostic Index [microform] : A Criterion for Further Evaluation and Intervention with At-Risk Preschool Children / Alex B. Johnson and Others

In an attempt to provide technically adequate screening with criteria for referring children for further evaluation, the Diagnostic Index (DI) was developed. The DI expresses the relationship between a child's chronological and developmental ages, identifies as a percentage of normal development the discrepancy between age appropriate behaviors and the behaviors the child exhibits. Testing of the DI indicated that when used with recommendations from the screening team, the DI substantially decreased the probability that delayed preschoolers would be overlooked during the screening phase. Among considerations in using the DI are that the DI should be computed within and across domains to reveal a more accurate and reliable picture of the child's functioning and that the cutoff point should be moved upward to safeguard against overlooking delayed preschoolers. (CL)