ASQ Parent Report Tools Comparison Chart 2025.pdf
Commonly Used Parent-Report Developmental Screening Tools
| Instrument | Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3): A Parent-Completed Child Monitoring System | Parents' Evaluation of Development Status - Revised (PEDS-R) and PEDS: Developmental Milestones (PEDS:DM) | The Survey of Well-being of Young Children (SWYC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| For use with | Children from 1-66 months | Children from birth to 8 years | Children from 2-66 months |
| Questionnaire items | ASQ-3 includes 21 age-specific questionnaires, which allow you to accurately screen anytime between 1 and 66 months—whether at the AAP recommended 9-, 18-, and 24- or 30-month well-child visits, or whenever the child enters your program | PEDS-R is a questionnaire containing the same 12 questions for all ages to elicit and address parents' concerns. PEDS:DM provides 6-8 milestones-type items per well visit | The SWYC is an age-specific screening instrument for children under 5% years of age. Every SWYC form includes subscales on developmental milestones (SWYC Milestones), behavior (Baby Pediatric Symptom Checklist or Preschool Pediatric Symptom Checklist), and family risk factors. At certain ages, a section for autism-specific screening (Parents Observation of Social Interaction) is also included. |
| Single stage screener? | Yes. Empirically derived cutoff scores produce results that clearly suggest whether to(a) evaluate further,(b) closely monitor,and/or(c) share information with parents about a child's strengths and recommend activities for healthy development. | PEDS-R refines its original Paths, enabling professionals to view discrete types of risk for developmental delays/disorders(DD), mental health/emotional/behavioral(MEB),or a combination of the two(MEBDD).The Assessment Level version of PEDS:DM provides age-equivalent scores and determines percentage of delay. | Yes. The results will indicate whether immediate counseling and/or a referral for intervention is suggested. Some options for immediate counseling/intervention are provided. |
| Developmental areas screened | Communication, gross motor, fine motor, problem solving, and personal-social (plus self-regulation, compliance, adaptive functioning, autonomy, affect, social communication, and interaction with people with ASQ:SE-2) | Expressive language, receptive language, fine motor, gross motor, social-emotional, self-help, academics in both reading and math (older children) | Cognitive, language, motor, behavior, social-emotional interaction |
| Sample item | The parent answers Yes, Sometimes, or Not Yet: Does your child stack a small block or toy on top of another one? (18-month questionnaire, fine motor area) | The parent circles No, Yes, or A Little and adds comments: Do you have any concerns about how your child talks and makes speech sounds? (expressive language and articulation area) | The parent fills in Not Yet, Somewhat, or Very Much: Does your child name at least 5 familiar objects-like ball or milk? (18 month developmental milestone form) |
| Time to complete and score | 2-3 minutes to score. Once parents complete the questionnaire (10-15 minutes), the professional consults a scoring grid with clearly designated results | PEDS-R: Takes about two minutes to administer and score if conducted as an interview. PEDS-DM: 5 minutes to administer, one minute to score. | 10-15 minutes to complete |
| Standardization | Standardized in an unparalleled national sample of 15,138 children | PEDS-R was standardized in English and Spanish on a nationally representative sample of 262,310 North American children, whose ages ranged from birth to 8 years. In 2012 PEDS-DM was re-standardized on a nationally representative sample of 47,531 families across 27 US states and Canada. | Milestones checklist: 864 children in initial validation sample. BPSC: 259 children in original validation sample. PPSC: 646 children in initial validation sample. POSI: 217 children in original sample. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | 86% | PEDS-R sensitivity is 93% when applying to Path B: Moderate DD risk results, additional predictors such as M-CHAT-R or PEDS:DM results, minority status and child's age. PEDS:DM sensitivity - 83% | 76% (SWYC Milestones) Above 70% (PPSC) 93.6% (POSI 6-30 months) 75% (POSI 31-48 months) |
| Specificity | 85% | PEDS-R specificity is 92% when applying to Path B. PEDS:DM specificity - 84% | 77% (SWYC Milestones) Above 70% (PPSC) 40.8% (POSI 6-30 months) 47.8% (POSI 31-48 months) |
| Reading Level | 4th-6th grade level | PEDS-R: 4th-5th grade reading level | Reading level not specified. |
| Initial cost | ASQ-3 Starter Kit: $295.00 Includes: ASQ-3 User's Guide, ASQ-3 Quick-Start Guide, and a photocopiable print master set of 21 questionnaires and scoring sheets, as well as a CD-ROM with printable PDF questionnaires. | PEDS-R: $52 for a pack of 50 booklets. Each booklet contains a detachable Response Form (available in English or Spanish) along with a Score Form, Interpretation Form, Directions and a Current Findings page with Action Steps. PEDS:DM for Early Childhood Starter kit is $369, which includes 25 assessment booklets, laminated family book, and growth chart. | No purchase is required. All of the age-specific SWYC forms are downloadable PDF files. |
| Ongoing costs | None. All forms may be photocopied or printed from CD-ROM by the purchasing organization for no extra charge | PEDS-R: $52.00 for pack of 50 booklets. PEDS: DM: $96.00 for 25 assessment booklets. | No purchase is required. All of the age-specific SWYC forms are downloadable PDF files. |
| Options for digital completion and management | ASQ Online subscription service offers efficient data management, online questionnaire completion, and reporting abilities. ASQ-3 is also available through CHADIS, Phreesia, and HealthAsyst. | PEDS-R and PEDS:DM can be completed digitally through PEDStest Online, which offers an online platform for parents to complete the measures before well visits. This service includes automated scoring, referral letters, summary reports, and diagnostic codes. | SWYC is available through Patient Tools and CHADIS. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Languages | English, Arabic, Chinese, French, Spanish, and Vietnamese | English and Spanish. Additional languages available to license. | Many languages available, including Arabic, Chinese, English, Haitian-Creole, Korean, Nepali, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese. |
| Training options | $39.00 for ASQ-3 Fundamental online course (1.5 hours of content); $99.00 for ASQ-3 Fundamentals for Pediatric Practice online course (2.5 hours of content); virtual seminars; and train-the-trainer events. | $125.00 for PEDS-R Training on Demand. Buy access to a 1.5-hour video with test and certificate stating the completion of PEDS-R® training and certification to administer the test (2 attempts to score 80% or above to pass). Using PEDS:DM instructional video, PowerPoint slide shows, and additional downloadable training material available on website | Instructions are included in the SWYC User's Manual, available online. |
| Publisher | Brookes Publishing | PEDStest.com, LLC | TEAM UP Scaling and Sustainability Center at Boston Medical Center |
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information in this chart is accurate, according to the latest information available from the publishers of each of the tools. Please contact the publishers directly with any questions.
Sources [1] PEDS: Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status. Retrieved November 24, 2025. [2] “Identifying Infants and Young Children with Developmental Disorders in the Medical Home: An Algorithm for Developmental Surveillance and Screening.” Retrieved November 24, 2025. [3] The Survey of Well-being of Young Children. Retrieved November 24, 2025. [4] Birth to Five: Watch Me Thrive! A Compendium of Screening Measures for Young Children, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, March 2014.