Part IV of Tests

Developmental Assessment


Psychoeducational Profile-Revised


The Psychoeducational Profile-Revised (PEP-R) (Schopler, Reichler, Bashford, Lansing, & Marcus, 1990) offers a developmental approach to the assessment of children with autism or related developmental disorders. It is an inventory of behaviors and skills designed to identify uneven and idiosyncratic learning patterns. The test is most appropriately used with children functioning at or below the preschool range and within the chronological age range of six months to seven years. The PEP-R provides information on developmental functioning in imitation, perception, fine motor, gross motor, eye-hand integration, cognitive performance, and cognitive verbal areas. The PEP-R also identifies degrees of behavioral abnormality in relating and affect (cooperation and human interest), play and interest in materials, sensory responses, and language.


The PEP-R kit consists of a set of toys and learning materials that are presented to a child within structured play activities. The examiner observes, evaluates, and records the child's responses during the test. There are 131 developmental and 43 behavioral items on the PEP-R. The total time required to administer and score these items varies From 45 minutes to 1.5 hours. Because it is not a test of speed, variations in total testing time depend on the child's levels of functioning and any behavior management problems that arise during the testing situation. At the end of the session, the child's scores are distributed among seven developmental and four behavioral areas. The resulting profiles depict a child's relative strengths and weaknesses in different areas of development and behavior. The Developmental Scale tells where a child is functioning relative to peers. The items on the Behavioral Scale have the separate, but related, assessment function of identifying responses and behaviors consistent with a diagnosis of autism. The PEP-R provides a third and unique score called emerging. A response scored "emerging" is one that indicates some knowledge of what is required to complete a task, but not the full understanding or skill necessary to do so successfully.


The Adolescent and Adult Psychoeducational Profile (AAPEP) extends the PEP- R to meet the needs of adolescents and adults.


Southern California Ordinal Scales of Development


The Southern California Ordinal Scales of Development (SCOSD), which is available from Western Psychological Services, was developed by the California Department of Education, Diagnostic Center in Southern California (1985). The developmental scales of cognition, communication, social affective behavior, practical abilities, gross motor, and fine motor abilities are based on two fundamental principles. First, they draw extensively on the developmental theories of Jean Piaget. Each scale is divided according to the levels and stages that Piaget describes in his writings on human development. Second, the SCOSD incorporates assessment techniques that aim to minimize the constraints of traditional, standardized ability testing. When possible, the examiner is encouraged to observe the child in his or her natural environment, using materials that are readily available and familiar. In interpreting the results of assessment, the examiner arrives at a total picture of the child's abilities in terms of the particular developmental scale.


The SCOSD is criterion-referenced rather than norm-referenced. Assessment procedures are flexible, rather than fixed, and the scoring system takes into account the quality as well as the quantity of responses.