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Parents' developmental perceptions and expectations for their high-risk infants.
B T Rogers1, L J Booth, L C Duffy
1State University of New York, Buffalo.
Summary
Parental perceptions of high-risk infant development show moderate agreement with professional assessments, particularly for normal development. However, significant mismatches occur, indicating parental concerns shouldn't solely guide developmental screening.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Neonatal Care
Background:
- High-risk infants require careful monitoring for developmental trajectories.
- Parental perceptions can influence or reflect infant well-being.
- Understanding the alignment between parental expectations and infant outcomes is crucial for early intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the correlation between parental perceptions and professional assessments of developmental outcomes in high-risk infants.
- To identify factors influencing discrepancies between parental and professional developmental evaluations.
- To evaluate the utility of parental concerns in developmental screening for high-risk populations.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 209 high-risk infants and their parents participated.
- Parents provided developmental interpretations and expectations prior to standardized assessments.
- Infant development was assessed by professionals for motor and language skills.
Main Results:
- Moderate correlations (p < .05 to p < .01) were observed between parental and professional assessments, especially for normal infant development.
- Discrepancies in developmental assessments were frequent across all domains.
- Mismatches were not linked to gestational age, neonatal issues, socioeconomic status, or parental experience.
Conclusions:
- While parental insights into infant development hold value, they do not consistently align with professional evaluations.
- Disagreements between parents and professionals are common and not explained by typical risk factors.
- Parental concerns should be acknowledged but cannot replace formal developmental screening for high-risk infants.