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Validation of a parent report measure of cognitive development in very preterm infants

Samantha Johnson1, Neil Marlow, Dieter Wolke

  • 1University of Nottingham, Academic Division of Child Health, University Hospital, Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham, UK. sam.johnson@nottingham.ac.uk

Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|June 4, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Parental questionnaires offer a cost-effective way to assess cognitive development in very preterm infants. This validated tool accurately identifies developmental delays, proving useful for research and large-scale studies.

Area of Science:

  • Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neonatology
  • Psychometrics

Background:

  • Parental reports can serve as an economical alternative to standardized developmental assessments.
  • Very preterm infants require reliable methods for monitoring cognitive development.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To adapt and validate a parental questionnaire for assessing cognitive development in very preterm infants.
  • To evaluate the concurrent validity and diagnostic accuracy of the parental questionnaire compared to standardized assessments.

Main Methods:

  • Sixty-four very preterm infants (born <30 weeks gestation) were assessed using the Bayley Scales of Infant Development-II Mental Development Index (MDI) and a parental questionnaire.
  • Concurrent validity was assessed via correlations between parent report and MDI scores.
  • Diagnostic accuracy for developmental delay (MDI < 70) was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.

Main Results:

  • Significant correlations (r=0.54-0.68, p<0.001) demonstrated good concurrent validity between parent report and MDI scores.
  • The questionnaire showed good discriminatory power, with an optimal cut-off achieving 81% sensitivity and 81% specificity in diagnosing developmental delay.
  • Test-retest reliability was confirmed, and accuracy was not influenced by sociodemographic factors.

Conclusions:

  • The validated parental questionnaire is a reliable and accurate tool for assessing cognitive development in very preterm infants.
  • This questionnaire serves as a valid outcome measure for randomized trials and population surveys involving preterm infants.
  • Parental reporting offers a practical and effective method for identifying developmental delays in this vulnerable population.

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