Mullen Scales of Early Learning

Stephen R. Hooper, Ph.D.

University of North Carolina
School of Medicine
 Advanced Organizer
• Mullen characteristics and features
• Materials needed
• Administration guidelines
• Record form completion
• Scoring considerations
• Individual scales
 Characteristics of the Mullen
• A revision of the Mullen Scales of Early
Learning
• Individually administered
• Age ranges from birth through 68 months
• The Mullen is untimed, but administration
time varies depending on age and other
child characteristics (typically 15 minutes
for 1-year olds, 30 minutes for 3-year olds,
and 60 minutes for 5-year olds.
 Characteristics of the Mullen
• Taps five key domains:
– Gross Motor
– Visual Reception
– Fine Motor
– Receptive Language
– Expressive Language
• Provides standard scores (M = 50, SD =
10), percentile ranks, and age equivalents
for each of the five domains and the single
composite (M = 100, SD = 15).
 Characteristics of the Mullen
• Must obtain a basal (a criterion in which all
items below it are assumed to be passed)
and a ceiling (a criterion in which all items
above it are assumed to be failed) on each
scale.
• A basal level of 3 consecutive items with at
least a 1-point score.
• A ceiling level of 3 consecutive items with
scores of 0.
 Features of the Mullen Scales
• High interest materials
• Provides a profile of cognitive abilities
• Provides a wide range of scores
• Based on developmental theory
• Can be used for special education eligibility
placement as well as individualized
program planning.
 Materials You Need to Supply
• 3 or 4 Cherrios
• Crayon
• Several sheets of 81/2” x 11” white paper
• Several sheets of 51/2” x 81/2” white paper
• Several sheets of 8” x 8” paper
• Several strips of 1” x 4” construction paper
• Several strips of 2” x 6” construction paper
• 10-foot colored tape or white chalk line
 Materials You Need to Supply
• 1 nickel
• 1 dime
• 1 quarter
• 10” to 12” ball
• 6” high bench
• Staircase or portable stair unit of at least 4
to 6 steps
• Additional toy or toys
 Administration of the Mullen:
General Guidelines
• Gather information as quickly as possible
on how the child learns--level of attention
and ability to imitate help in this regard
• Observe the infant for their receptive and
expressive capabilities
• Provide positive reinforcement and
encouragement, but don’t give hints
• Do not over verbalize
• Try to control the pace of the testing
 Administration of the Mullen:
General Guidelines
• The testing room should be appropriate to
the age of the child (e.g., a table for an
infant, small table/chair for preschoolers)
• Have all necessary testing materials
• Positioning is critical (listed on record
form)
• Follow standardized procedures
 Administration of the Mullen
• You will need the Item Administration
Book, the Stimulus Book, a Record Form,
and the other noted materials.
• Be sure your kit is in order prior to each
administration (e.g., Appendix B of the
Manual contains blackline masters of
stencils that the examiner can use to create
some of the needed materials
• Explicit directions for administration are
provided in the Item Administration Book
 Administration of the Mullen
SAFETY FIRST!
• Examiners should be careful to keep small
manipulatives out of the mouths of the
children
• Generally, if you are not working with
specific materials, then they should be put
back into the kit and away from the child
• NEVER leave a baby/child unattended
 Mullen Scales:
Administration Considerations
• Administer scales and items in order since
they are presented in order of difficulty
• HOWEVER, flexibility is permissible and
should be liberally used to obtain responses
• Try to pick a good starting point for each
child
• Many items include a demonstration of the
task
 Mullen Scales:
Completing the Record Form
• The inside pages include five sections--one
for each Mullen Scale
• 8 bands of alternating color appear on the
Gross Motor Scale, with a developmental
stage noted to the left
• The item column shows the item number
and a brief description of its content
• For early items, a cue at the end of the
descriptions shows the required position of
the child
 Mullen Scales:
Completing the Record Form
• Record study identification #, gender,
examiner, gestational age, site, vision or
hearing problem, test date, birth date, and
chronological age
– Outside of birth date, enter no other identifying
information.
• Unlike other tests, do not round 15 or more
days to the next higher month
 Mullen Scales:
Completing the Record Form
• If the child was premature, an adjusted age
should be calculated
• Adjusted Age = CA - (40-GA)
• This should be recorded under the Adjusted
Age line on the record form
• Completely correct only until 12 months of
age; 1/2 correction from 13-23 months; then
no correction from 24 months and older
 Mullen Scales:
Completing the Record Form
• Blue flags show suggested starting points for
children within a normal range of development
(use for adjusted ages too)
• If there are any developmental concerns, then a
lower starting point can be used
• Several items on the Receptive Language and
Visual Reception scales are marked A/V,
indicating that they require auditory-visual
integration
 Mullen Scales:
Scoring Considerations
• Administer the starting item followed by the
next two items
• If the child scores at least 1 point on each of
the 3 items, the basal level has been established
• If the child does not score at least 1 point on
each of the first three items, move back to the
next lower starting point (black flags) and
continue.
 Mullen Scales:
Scoring Considerations
• Go back as far as is necessary to establish a
basal level
• Once established, credit the child with
maximum points for all items below the
basal item
• Continue testing until the child obtains zero
points on 3 consecutive items (ceiling level)
• Add all items passed, including items below
basal, and place in box at bottom of form
 Mullen Scales:
Item Completion
• Record item responses and scores on the
record form, paying attention to whether a
0, 1, or 2 level response is required
• For some items, a small number appears in
parentheses just below each score point as a
reminder of the necessary performance
• Other items include brief statements
• “Sum Tasks” requires adding the tasks
passed to obtain the item score
 Mullen Scales:
Special Scoring Considerations
• Multiple responses - Provide child with all
of the presented responses and ask which
one it was
• Refusal to respond - switch tasks or, if it is
clear that the child will not respond, record
a 0 and write the letter R next to it to denote
a refusal
 Characteristics of the Mullen:
Gross Motor Scale
• Administered from birth through 33 months
– This should take into account chronological age
as well as adjustments for prematurity
• 35 items measures:
– Central motor control
– Mobility in supine, prone, sitting, and upright
• At about 30 months, a distinction is made
between unilateral and bilateral control.
 Characteristics of the Mullen:
Visual Reception Scale
• Administered from birth through 68 months
• 33 items
• Primary abilities tapped include:
– Visual discrimination
– Visual memory
– Visual organization
– Visual sequencing
– Visual spatial awareness
 Characteristics of the Mullen:
Fine Motor Scale
• Administered from birth through 68 months
• 30 items
• Primarily concerned with output
• Items measure:
– Motor planning and control
– Unilateral and bilateral manipulation
– Writing readiness
 Characteristics of the Mullen:
Receptive Language Scale
• Administered from birth through 68 months
• 33 items
• Measures a child’s ability to process
linguistic input.
• Taps:
– Auditory comprehension
– Auditory memory
– Auditory sequencing
 Characteristics of the Mullen:
Expressive Language Scale
• Administered from birth through 68 months
• 28 items
• Measures a child’s ability to use language
productively
• Primary abilities tapped include:
– Speaking
– Language formation
– Verbal conceptualization
 Characteristics of the Mullen:
Early Learning Composite
• Provides a measure of general intellectual
functioning
• It is derived from four of the cognitive
scales (Visual Reception, Fine Motor,
Receptive Language, Expressive Language)
 Odds and Ends
• Send along COMPLETED forms
– Be sure to check them for completion before
the family leaves
• If there are ESL issues, you will need an
interpreter to administer the Mullen
– Not currently administered to non-English
speaking subjects.
• Questions???? Contact me directly via e-
mail (Stephen_hooper@med.unc.edu) or
phone (919-966-9040)