Development of the Korean Developmental Screening Test for Infants and Children (K-DST)

• Main Authors: Hee Jung Chung (Author), Donghwa Yang (Author), Gun-Ha Kim (Author), Sung Koo Kim (Author), Seoung Woo Kim (Author), Young Key Kim (Author), Young Ah Kim (Author), Joon Sik Kim (Author), Jin Kyung Kim (Author), Cheongtag Kim (Author), In-Kyung Sung (Author), Son Moon Shin (Author), Kyung Ja Oh (Author), Hee-Jeong Yoo (Author), Hee Joon Yu (Author), Seoung-Joon Lim (Author), Jeehun Lee (Author), Hae-Ik Jeong (Author), Jieun Choi (Author), Jeong-Yi Kwon (Author), Baik-Lin Eun (Author)
• Format: Book
• Published: The Korean Pediatric Society, 2020-11-01T00:00:00Z.
• Subjects: article
• Online Access: Connect to this object online.

Summary

Background Most developmental screening tools in Korea are adopted from foreign tests. To ensure efficient screening of infants and children in Korea, a nationwide screening tool with high reliability and validity is needed. Purpose This study aimed to independently develop, standardize, and validate the Korean Developmental Screening Test for Infants and Children (K-DST) for screening infants and children for neurodevelopmental disorders in Korea. Methods The standardization and validation conducted in 2012-2014 of 3,284 subjects (4-71 months of age) resulted in the first edition of the K-DST. The restandardization and revalidation performed in 2015-2016 of 3.06 million attendees of the National Health Screening Program for Infants and Children resulted in the revised K-DST. We analyzed inter-item consistency and test-retest reliability for the reliability analysis. Regarding the validation of K-DST, we examined the construct validity, sensitivity and specificity, receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, and a criterion-related validity analysis. Results We ultimately selected 8 questions in 6 developmental domains. For most age groups and each domain, internal consistency was 0.73-0.93 and test-retest reliability was 0.77-0.88. The revised K-DST had high discriminatory ability with a sensitivity of 0.833 and specificity of 0.979. The test supported construct validity by distinguishing between normal and neurodevelopmentally delayed groups. The language and cognition domain of the revised K-DST was highly correlated with the K-Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II's Mental Age Quotient (r=0.766, 0.739), while the gross and fine motor domains were highly correlated with Motor Age Quotient (r=0.695, 0.668), respectively. The Verbal Intelligence Quotient of Korean Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scales of Intelligence was highly correlated with the K-DST cognition and language domains (r=0.701, 0.770), as was the performance intelligence quotient with the fine motor domain (r=0.700). Conclusion The K-DST is reliable and valid, suggesting its good potential as an effective screening tool for infants and children with neurodevelopmental disorders in Korea.

Item Description

2713-4148
10.3345/cep.2020.00640