Which language screening instrument is used to assess early language development in infants?

• A. Denver Developmental Screening Test
• B. MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories (CDI)
• C. Bayley Scales of Infant Development
• D. Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test

Answer: (B)

MacArthur-Bates Communicative Development Inventories are parent-reported screening tools that measure early language by asking about a child’s understanding and use of words, and how they combine words, with age-appropriate forms for infants and toddlers. Because it relies on everyday observations from caregivers, it captures typical language use in natural contexts and is efficient for screening for delays and monitoring growth over time. It has strong normative data, allowing clinicians to compare a child’s vocabulary size and expressive ability to peers. Other instruments either screen broader developmental domains rather than language alone, require direct clinician administration with standardized tasks, or are designed for older children or different language skills, making them less suitable for assessing early language development in infants.