Advances in the Technical Adequacy of the Early Problem-Solving Indicator Progress Monitoring Measure for Infants and Toddlers

• Published in: Topics in early childhood special education Vol. 42; no. 4; pp. 289 - 301
• Main Authors: Walker, Dale, Buzhardt, Jay, Jia, Fan, Schnitz, Alana, Irvin, Dwight W., Greenwood, Charles R.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Los Angeles, CA SAGE Publications 01.02.2023; SAGE Publications and Hammill Institute on Disabilities; SAGE PUBLICATIONS, INC
• Subjects: Age Differences; Child Development; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive Development; Decision Making; Disabilities; Early childhood education; Early Intervention; Educational evaluation; Gender Differences; Infants; Measurement Techniques; Native Language; Preschool Education; Preschool Teachers; Problem Solving; Profiles; Reliability; School Readiness; Toddlers; Toys; toddlers; assessment; development; cognitive; progress monitoring; problem solving; infancy
• ISSN: 0271-1214; 1538-4845
• DOI: 10.1177/02711214221129237

Engaging, focusing, and persisting in the completion of tasks are among the skills needed for school success. Tracking whether a child is learning cognitive problem-solving skills is essential in knowing if they are acquiring skills important for development and school readiness; and if not, how they are responding to early intervention. Use of the Early Problem-Solving Indicator (EPSI) was documented by data for 2,614 children (6–42 months of age) collected by the early childhood staff from 45 programs. Results indicated that the EPSI was (a) scalable across programs, assessors, and assessment occasions, (b) reliable, (c) sensitive to growth over months of age, (d) comprised a dynamic continuum of skills within and across skills over time, and (e) moderated by children’s disability status but not gender or home language. Implications for research and practice are discussed.