Abstract

Screening validity of the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST, Frankenburg & Dodds,1970), the Test de Desarrollo Psicomotor  (TEPSI, Haeussler & Marchant, 1987) and the Child Development Inventory (Ireton, 1992) was assessed in 62 preschool children ranging 3 years 0 month to 4 year, 5 month, 29 days, selected of public and private nursery of the city of Arica, Chile. The criterion was the Stanford-Binet Intelligence Scale, Terman-Merril revission, in the Spanish edition (1975). Results point that none of the three assessed tests obtains optimal levels of screening validity, but two of them obtains satisfactory results, even from sensitivity and specificity: the General Development scale of the IDI and the Profile of the TEPSI. Other predictors fails in recognice the children who would be referred by his/her possible developmental delay, in a number of cases that made its use not recommended with screening purpose. Small sensitivity of the DDST is specially  alarming, by its massive use with this purpose in the public nursery, wich, as a result of this research, would seem convenient to review.