--- title: "Developmental Screening Test (DST): DQ & Use in India" url: "https://www.ellomind.com/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/developmental-screening-test/" description: "A clinician's overview of the Developmental Screening Test (DST) by Bharath Raj: how it gives a developmental age and developmental quotient, and its use in India. Educational only." --- Developmental (India) # Developmental Screening Test (DST) Developmental screening measure · Birth to 15 years A clinician's overview of the Developmental Screening Test (DST), the widely used Indian screening measure developed by J. Bharath Raj. How it estimates a developmental age and developmental quotient, and where it fits in Indian assessment. [Try the Case formulation (5Ps and CBT) tool](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/case-formulation/) [All tests](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/) **Educational overview only.** The DST is a published instrument obtained through its Indian suppliers and used by trained examiners. ElloMind does not provide the items or scoring; this page is educational only. ## What it is The DST, developed by J. Bharath Raj in Mysore in the 1970s, is a brief Indian measure for estimating a child's developmental level. Items describe behaviours and milestones typical of successive age levels, from infancy through mid-adolescence, and are answered mainly from a caregiver interview supplemented by observation. It yields a developmental age, and from that a developmental quotient relative to chronological age, giving a quick index of whether development is on track. ## Who it is for It is used with infants, children and young adolescents when development or possible intellectual disability is the question, particularly as a first, quick estimate before or alongside fuller testing. It is administered by a trained examiner, usually with the parent or caregiver as informant, and is common in Indian clinical and disability-assessment settings. ## How it is administered The examiner works through the age-graded items with the caregiver, establishing which behaviours the child shows, and derives the developmental age from the levels passed. The developmental quotient is the developmental age relative to chronological age. The test form and manual are obtained through Indian suppliers; the items are not circulated openly. ## Use in India The DST is one of the most widely used developmental screens in India because it is quick, inexpensive, and was developed for Indian children. In practice it is often administered together with the Vineland Social Maturity Scale in intellectual disability workups, with a full intelligence test following when the screen indicates. As with other Indian instruments of its era, clinicians keep the age of the norms in mind. ## Related free tools [Formulation Case formulation (5Ps and CBT)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/case-formulation/) [Report writing Referral letter](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/referral-letter/) ## Citation and sources Bharath Raj, J. (1977). Developmental Screening Test (DST). Mysore, India. * [Child developmental milestones (background)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Child%5Fdevelopment%5Fstages) — Wikipedia ## Frequently asked questions What is the Developmental Screening Test? + A brief Indian measure by J. Bharath Raj that estimates a child's developmental age from age-graded behaviours and milestones, reported mainly by a caregiver, and expresses it as a developmental quotient relative to chronological age. How is the developmental quotient (DQ) calculated? + From the developmental age the child reaches on the age-graded items, taken relative to chronological age on the familiar quotient scale. The item-level rules are in the test manual. Is the DST enough to diagnose intellectual disability? + No. It is a screen. A diagnosis requires a standardised intelligence test and an adaptive behaviour measure such as the Vineland Social Maturity Scale, interpreted by a qualified clinician; the DST commonly comes first and flags who needs that fuller assessment. ## More tests and assessments [Intelligence Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/wisc/) [Intelligence Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/wais/) [Non-verbal reasoning Raven's Progressive Matrices (RPM)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/ravens-progressive-matrices/) [Intelligence (India) Binet-Kamat Test of Intelligence (BKT)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/binet-kamat-test/) [Intelligence (India) Malin's Intelligence Scale for Indian Children (MISIC)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/misic/) [Performance test (India) Bhatia's Battery of Performance Tests of Intelligence (Bhatia Battery)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/bhatia-battery/) [Performance test (India) Seguin Form Board Test (SFBT)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/seguin-form-board/) [Adaptive behaviour Vineland Social Maturity Scale (VSMS)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/vineland-social-maturity-scale/) [Projective (children) Children's Apperception Test (CAT)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/childrens-apperception-test/) [Visuo-motor Bender Visual-Motor Gestalt Test (BGT)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/bender-gestalt-test/) [Cognitive screening Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/mmse/) [Projective test Thematic Apperception Test (TAT)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/thematic-apperception-test/) [Depression Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/beck-depression-inventory/) [Personality Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/mmpi/) [Personality Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF)](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/16pf/) This page is general educational information for professionals, not clinical or legal advice, and not a substitute for training in the instrument. ElloMind does not provide, sell or reproduce copyrighted test materials. [Back to all tests](/ai-tools-for-psychologists/tests/)