A Study of the Psychometric Properties of the Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17 for Children With Developmental Delays and Disorders

Primary care physicians (PCPs) frequently serve pediatric patients with developmental delays and disorders (DD/D). Although the most widely used primary care behavioral health screener, the <i>Pediatric Symptom Checklist-17</i> (<i>PSC-17</i>), is validated for use with children without DD/D, it is unclear whether this measure accurately identifies behavioral health symptoms in youth with DD/D. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess the psychometric properties of the <i>PSC-17</i> for children with DD/D. Medical record data from 3596 pediatric patients at a primary care clinic were analyzed. Descriptive analyses, measurement invariance testing, and internal consistency evaluations were conducted to assess the psychometric properties of the <i>PSC-17</i>. The results of these analyses support the use of the <i>PSC-17</i> for behavioral health screening for children with DD/D. Behavioral health screening in this population is critical, because the timely identification of behavioral health concerns can facilitate early intervention, which may enhance long-term functioning.