Construct validity of the Neurobehavioral Assessment of Preterm Infants

In this nonrandomized, prospective cohort study, the construct validity of the Neurobehavioral Assessment of the Preterm Infant (NAPI) was examined by comparing it with measures of neonatal physiological status. A cohort of preterm infants (n = 37) was tested repetitively at 32 and 36 weeks post-conceptional age (PCA) to determine whether there was a correlation between physiological status and NAPI scores at these ages. We anticipated fair, clinically significant correlations (r = 0.25-0.50) between physiological and neurobehavioral status. This was found using Pearson Product Moment correlational analysis between components of the neurobehavioral performance repertoire at 32 weeks PCA, the degree of medical intervention and the early biological risks that contribute to developmental status. The finding was less marked at 36 weeks PCA when the subjects were physiologically more stable.