Objective: This study determined the feasibility and validity of a Chinese-translated Parents’ Evaluation of Developmental Status (PEDS^®), a questionnaire for parents to report concerns involving language, motor skills, learning, behavior, and social skills of children.

Method: The PEDS^® questionnaire was translated to Chinese and underwent testing for reliability and validity (sensitivity and specificity) against a diagnostic reference-standard developmental assessment test, Griffiths Mental Development Scales – Extended Revised. Parents / caregivers completed the questionnaire twice within a two-week interval. The scores were assessed separately by a pediatrician and a community nurse. Respondents also answered four study-designed questions about PEDS^® on acceptability and usefulness as screening tool, and ease of understanding and completing.

Results: Sixty-eight (84.0%) respondents thought the Chinese PEDS^® was acceptable to screen for children with developmental and behavioral concerns. They rated it as very easy or easy to understand (n = 79, 97.5%) and very easy or easy to complete (n = 79, 97.5%). There was a 71.6% agreement [intra-rater (test-retest) reliability of 0.615 (p < 0.001)] between the first and second PEDS^® for two predictive concerns, one predictive concern, non-predictive concern or no concern. There was an 88.9% agreement [inter-rater reliability with kappa value 0.849 (p < 0.001)] for the score assessment between pediatrician and community nurse. PEDS^® had 75.0% sensitivity and 86.2% specificity for two or more predictive caregivers concerns (with adjusted OR 14.53; 95% CI 2.00, 105.83; p = 0.008).

Conclusions: PEDS^® can be used for early detection of children with developmental problems in the Chinese speaking population.