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The Brigance Infant and Toddler Screen: standardization and validation
1Department of Pediatrics. Vanderbilt University, Nashvilla, TN, USA. Frances.P.Glascoe@Vanderbilt.edu
Insights
The Brigance Infant and Toddler Screens accurately assess development in children aged 0-2 years. These reliable tools support early identification of developmental needs in infants and toddlers.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Pediatric Assessment
- Early Childhood Education
Background:
- The Brigance Inventory of Early Development is a widely used assessment tool.
- There was a need to extend Brigance assessment capabilities to the 0- to 2-year-old age range.
- Existing developmental screening tools may have limitations for very young children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To present the research supporting the downward extension of Brigance Screens for infants and toddlers (0-2 years).
- To validate the Brigance Infant and Toddler Screens as reliable and accurate developmental assessment tools.
- To establish the efficacy of these screens when administered by various professionals.
Main Methods:
- Items were selected from the Brigance Inventory of Early Development.
- The study involved 408 children aged 0-24 months across 29 sites in 22 states.
- Reliability (internal consistency, test-retest, interrater) and validity (correlations with diagnostic measures, sensitivity, specificity) were assessed.
Main Results:
- High reliability coefficients (0.98-0.99) were found for both Infant and Toddler Screens.
- Parent report and direct elicitation/observation methods showed minimal variation (average of one point).
- Correlations with diagnostic measures were high (0.46-0.91), with good specificity (85-86%) and sensitivity (76-77%).
Conclusions:
- The Brigance Infant and Toddler Screens are accurate, valid, and reliable developmental assessment tools.
- These screens can be effectively administered by various professionals.
- The tools support early identification and intervention for developmental concerns in young children.
Abstract:
The goal of this study is to present research behind the downward extension of the Brigance Screens into the 0- to 2-year-old age range. Items were selected from the Brigance Inventory of Early Development (standardized on 1156 children) to produce fine motor, receptive language, expressive language, gross motor, self-help, and social-emotional subtests. Sites included 29 pediatric offices, day-care centers, and developmental evaluation centers in 22 states. Subjects were 408 children, 0 to 24 months of age. Internal consistency, test-retest, and interrater reliability ranged from 0.98 to 0.99 for both the Infant and Toddler Screens. Parent report and direct elicitation versions/observation varied by an average of only one point. Correlations with diagnostic measures were high (0.46 to 0.91). Specificity ranged from 85% to 86% and sensitivity ranged from 76% to 77%. Accordingly, the Brigance Infant and Toddler Screens are shown to be accurate, valid, and reliable tools that can be administered by a range of professionals using either parent interview or direct elicitation/observation or both.