Abstract
Behavioral and emotional problems are highly prevalent in early childhood and represent an important focus of practice for
clinical child and pediatric psychologists. Although psychological or psychiatric disorders are not typically diagnosed in
children under the age of 2 years, recent research has demonstrated the appropriateness of assessing behavioral and emotional
problems during the first 2 years of life (defined throughout as “infancy”). The current paper provides a systematic review
of assessment procedures used to identify behavioral and emotional problems during infancy. Existing assessment procedures
for infants take the form of parent- or caregiver-report questionnaires, observational coding procedures, and diagnostic classification
systems. The questionnaires and observational coding procedures both had substantial psychometric evidence for use with infants,
although observational coding may have limited utility in clinical practice. The classification systems have less empirical
support for use with infants, and further research is necessary to demonstrate the appropriateness of these procedures with
infants. Utilizing the reviewed procedures to assess behavioral and emotional problems in infants can have a substantial impact
in research and practice settings, and further research is needed to determine the usefulness of these procedures in developing,
testing, and implementing preventive and early intervention programs for infants and their families.
clinical child and pediatric psychologists. Although psychological or psychiatric disorders are not typically diagnosed in
children under the age of 2 years, recent research has demonstrated the appropriateness of assessing behavioral and emotional
problems during the first 2 years of life (defined throughout as “infancy”). The current paper provides a systematic review
of assessment procedures used to identify behavioral and emotional problems during infancy. Existing assessment procedures
for infants take the form of parent- or caregiver-report questionnaires, observational coding procedures, and diagnostic classification
systems. The questionnaires and observational coding procedures both had substantial psychometric evidence for use with infants,
although observational coding may have limited utility in clinical practice. The classification systems have less empirical
support for use with infants, and further research is necessary to demonstrate the appropriateness of these procedures with
infants. Utilizing the reviewed procedures to assess behavioral and emotional problems in infants can have a substantial impact
in research and practice settings, and further research is needed to determine the usefulness of these procedures in developing,
testing, and implementing preventive and early intervention programs for infants and their families.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-16
- DOI 10.1007/s10567-012-0110-2
- Authors
- Daniel M. Bagner, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th St., AHS I, Room 241, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Gabriela M. Rodríguez, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th St., AHS I, Room 241, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Clair A. Blake, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th St., AHS I, Room 241, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Dainelys Linares, Department of Psychology, Florida International University, 11200 S.W. 8th St., AHS I, Room 241, Miami, FL 33199, USA
- Alice S. Carter, University of Massachusetts, Boston, MA, USA
- Journal Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review
- Online ISSN 1573-2827
- Print ISSN 1096-4037