Screening Cantonese-speaking preschool children for language disorder using a caregiver-reported questionnaire

Introduction
Language disorders (LD) occur in preschool children with a prevalence of at least 7% (Norbury et al., 2016). The LD diagnosis is given to children who fail standardized language tests and demonstrate functional communication problems. However, valid and reliable tools for screening functional communication in Cantonese speakers are lacking. This study aims to report the validity, reliability, and screening accuracy of a caregiver-reported questionnaire on functional communication.
Methods
A total of 114 Cantonese-speaking preschool children, aged between 3 to 5, and their caregivers participated in this study. The children received speech and language assessments and were assigned to two groups, with and without LD. The caregivers rated the 12 items in the questionnaire on a 5-point Likert scale. The outcome measure was the total score on the questionnaire. Group comparisons, validity and reliability of the questionnaire, as well as its sensitivity and specificity in identifying LD were calculated.
Results
The 12-item total scores were statistically significantly different between children with and without LD. The structural validity, criterion validity, internal consistency, and test-retest reliability of the tool were all good. The sensitivity and specificity of the total score in identifying LD in the three age groups (i.e., 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds) were 80% orabove.
Discussion
This caregiver questionnaire has been shown to be a valid and reliable screening tool for identifying language disorders in Cantonese-speaking preschool children. It is recommended that speech therapists use this questionnaire to assess functional communication skills, as a screener or a supplement to standardized test scores when making an LD diagnosis. Other healthcare professionals are also encouraged to use this questionnaire as a screening tool to identify children who may require referral for further evaluation.