SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT IN EARLY-CHILDHOOD - THE IDENTIFICATION OF COMPETENCE AND DISABILITIES

The early identification and remediation of social and emotional disab ilities is crucial for young children's immediate well-being and their long-term quality of life. To better identify young children with soc ial and emotional delay and disability and ensure adequate program pla nning, professionals and families need information concerning availabl e norm-referenced and qualitative measures. This article presents an a nalysis of existing norm-referenced measures of social and emotional c ompetence and disability for young children birth-to-5 to determine th e degree to which these indices satisfy both technical and conceptual requirements. It is recommended that methods for assessing social and emotional competence and disability that allow for informed clinical o pinion supplement norm-referenced measures.