An Arabic gamified quiz to improve parental recognition of early developmental red flags: a pre-post pilot study

Introduction Early identification of speech, language, hearing, social communication, and feeding difficulties depends substantially on parental recognition of developmental red flags. In Saudi Arabia, limited parental awareness may contribute to delayed referral and intervention. This pilot study evaluated the preliminary effectiveness of a 25-item Arabic gamified quiz in improving parental recognition of early developmental red flags in children from birth to 3 years of age. Methods A single-session pre-post interventional design was used. Parents completed a pre-test, engaged with the Arabic gamified quiz, and then completed a post-test during the same online session. The quiz was designed as a multiple-choice, scenario-based educational tool with immediate explanatory feedback. Seventy-nine participants completed both assessments and were included in the matched analysis. Results Mean knowledge scores increased significantly from 78.6% to 92.5% ( p < 0.001), with a large effect size (Cohen's d = 1.04). Most participants (87.3%) demonstrated improved post-test scores. Discussion These findings suggest that a brief Arabic gamified quiz may be a promising caregiver-facing educational tool for improving recognition of early developmental red flags in Arabic-speaking populations. Further research is needed to assess long-term knowledge retention, behavioral impact, and broader implementation.