Strategy

The Early Screening Profiles (ESP) Part of the Developmental and Behavioral Screening Strategy

What is it?

The Early Screening Profiles (ESP) is a tool that uses multiple domains, settings, and sources to measure the cognitive, language, motor, self-help, and social development of children ages two through six. The three basic profiles that can be administered are the cognitive/language profile, motor profile, and self-help/social profile. The profiles are supplemented by four surveys, which include the articulation survey, home survey, health history survey, and behavior survey. The ESP provides information to help professionals make screening decisions and intervention strategies. Screening can be administered in 15 to 30 minutes depending on the age and developmental level of the child. 

What is the evidence base?

The ESP is a good predictor of cognitive ability among at-risk preschoolers. Additionally, the ESP reflects an adequate degree of inter-rater reliability, test-retest reliability, sensitivity, and specificity. 

• McIntosh et al_2000_Concurrent Validity of the Early Screening Profiles and the Differential Ability Scales With an At-Risk Preschool Sample
• Walker, Severson, and Feil_1995_Early Screening Project