Investigating the Use of a Social-Emotional Instrument in Taiwan: A Normative Study

This study validates the Traditional Chinese Ages & Stages Questionnaires: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2), referred to as the ASQ:SE-2-TC, for children in Taiwan. A sample of 3,954 children aged 1–72 months was used to assess seven age intervals of the ASQ:SE-2-TC. Convergent validity was tested with the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL 1.5–5) in a subset of 208 children. Results showed acceptable internal consistency for most intervals (Cronbach’s α = .66–.85), with lower reliability at 2 months ( α = .40). Test–retest reliability was strong ( r = .86). Multiple methods were used to determine the cutoff scores. Across age intervals, sensitivity ranged from 87.5% to 100% and specificity from 64.3% to 85.7%. In addition, statistically significant correlations were found between the scores of ASQ:SE-2-TC and CBCL 1.5–5. In terms of instrument utility, caregivers reported the questionnaire as time-efficient and helpful for understanding child development. Overall, the ASQ:SE-2-TC demonstrated good psychometric properties for use in Taiwan.