Developmental Observation Checklist System (DOCS)

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DOCS is a three-part inventory/checklist system for the assessment of very young children with respect to general development (DC), adjustment behavior (ABC), and parent stress and support (PSSC). The DC component measures the areas of language, motor, social, and cognitive development.

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The test is suitable for ages birth through 6, meets the mandates of P.L. 99-457, and can be completed by parents or caregivers.

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DOCS was normed on more than 1,400 children ages birth through 6 from more than 30 states. Characteristics of the normative group approximate those for the 1990 Census data relative to gender, geographic region, race/ethnicity, and urban/rural residence. Internal consistency reliability scores approximate .90 for all ages.

Construct validity is supported through correlations with age and group differentiation relating test items to total test scores, component intercorrelations, and cognitive aptitude. Delta values attest to the nondiscriminatory basis of the items with respect to gender and race. Substantial content validity and criterion-related validity is offered. Family involvement, as mandated by P.L. 99-457, is addressed by the parent-report nature of the DOCS questionnaire. Primary caregivers other than parents also may complete the DC Profile/Record Form if their responses are based on careful observation of the child’s daily behaviors. DOCS provides quotients, NCE scores, age equivalents, and percentiles.

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Complete DOCS Kit includes: Examiner’s Manual, 25 Cumulative Profile/Record Forms, 25 DC Profile/Record Forms, 25 ABC Profile/Record Forms, and 25 PSSC Profile/Record Forms, all in a sturdy storage box. (1994)

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