Screening Effectiveness of the Minnesota Child Development Inventory Expressive and Receptive Language Scales: Sensitivity, Specificity, and Predictive Value

This study examines the sensitivity, specificity, and predictive value of the Expressive Language (EL) and Comprehension-Conceptual (CC) subscales of the Minnesota Child Development Inventory (MCDI) in 152 consecutive referrals to a communication disorders clinic. Correlational analyses revealed moderate agreement between parent report (MCDI) and formal measures of expressive and receptive language ability from the Reynell Developmental Language Scales. Classification analyses comparing parent-report (MCDI) measures with direct assessment results (Reynell) revealed high sensitivity (88% and 77%) and good positive predictive value (80% and 75%) for the MCDI EL and CC subscales, respectively. Low to moderate specificity rates, however, suggest that the MCDI classifies normal expressive and receptive language status less accurately (45% and 64%, respectively). These findings suggest that the MCDI is an efficient screening tool under high-prevalence conditions such as a clinic population of language-disordered children.