Scale of emotional development-short: Reliability and validity in two samples of children with an intellectual disability.
The 20-item SED-S is a reliable, valid tool to measure emotional development in kids with ID.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team tested a short form of the Scale of Emotional Development. They wanted to know if the 20-item SED-S works for kids with intellectual disability. Two groups of children took the scale twice to check reliability and validity.
What they found
The short scale held up well. It showed high internal consistency and good convergent validity. The study supports using the 20-item SED-S to measure emotional delays in children with ID.
How this fits with other research
Sappok et al. (2016) built the first 200-item SED-S for adults. Hong et al. (2021) trimmed it to 20 items and proved it works for kids. Kremkow et al. (2022) then added 40 new items so the scale now covers teens up to 18 years. Zwiya et al. (2023) later showed the same tool links best with the SEO-Lukas in adults, giving you confidence across age bands.
Why it matters
You now have a quick, solid way to spot emotional delays during intake. The 20-item form takes minutes, not hours, and gives numbers you can trust. Pair it with adaptive tests like Vineland to see the whole child. If the child is older than 12, grab the extended items from Kremkow et al. (2022) to keep tracking progress into adolescence.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Intellectual disability (ID) is often accompanied by more significant delays in emotional development than in cognitive development. Diagnostic assessment can provide insight into emotional functioning. However, few standardized assessment instruments are available. AIMS: Examine the reliability and validity of the Scale of Emotional Development-Short (SED-S) in children with ID. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: This methodological instrument validation study was conducted in the Netherlands and Switzerland with children (N = 118) older than 3 and younger than 18 years with ID ranging from profound to mild. Measures included: demographic and medical data, SED-S, and the Vineland. Coherence and reliability of the SED-S were determined using Cronbach's alpha, and validity was examined using Goodman and Kruskal's γ, Kruskal-Wallis H, and Mann-Whitney U tests. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The reliability of the SED-S was high, the convergent validity was good, and divergent validity was indicated in relation to autism spectrum disorder (ASD), visual and/or auditory impairment, and adaptive functioning. FURTHER RESEARCH: Research is needed to better understand the implications of ASD and visual and/or auditory impairment on emotional development and their association with (normal) intelligence. Children with ID may also benefit from (more) detailed guidelines for imbalanced profiles on the SED-S.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2021 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2020.103821