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Parents' attitudes to developmental screening in the first year of life
A Johnson1, F Sherratt, S Holmes
1Oxford Region Child Development Project, John Radcliffe Hospital, England.
Insights
Parental anxiety regarding early childhood screening is a concern. This study found that routine 8-month health visitor assessments do not increase parental anxiety, though test validity needs review.
Area of Science:
- Child Health
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Parental Mental Health
Background:
- Parental anxiety is a potential concern with early childhood screening for developmental impairments.
- Health visitor assessments are routinely conducted in early childhood.
- The impact of these assessments on parental attitudes and concerns requires investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate parental attitudes and concerns regarding early childhood screening.
- To determine if routine 8-month health visitor assessments influence parental anxiety.
- To assess parental understanding of screening test purposes and implications.
Main Methods:
- A study involving parents of infants aged 6 and 8-9 months using self-administered questionnaires.
- Parents were randomly assigned to complete a second questionnaire either before or after the 8-month health visitor assessment.
- Changes in parental attitudes and concerns were tracked over a 2-3 month period.
Main Results:
- Parental attitudes and concerns showed changes over the study period, but these changes were not linked to the health visitor assessment.
- While some parents found the assessment reassuring, recent contact with a health visitor did not resolve specific parental anxieties.
- A notable proportion of parents demonstrated a lack of understanding regarding the screening tests' purpose and the consequences of test failure.
Conclusions:
- Routine 8-month screening tests conducted by health visitors do not appear to induce significant parental anxiety.
- The validity of many screening tests used in early childhood assessments is questionable.
- A re-evaluation of the purpose and content of early health visitor assessments is warranted to ensure effectiveness and clarity.
Abstract:
It has been suggested that screening for impairment in early childhood may cause anxiety to parents. Using self-administered questionnaires, we studied the attitudes and concerns of parents of infants aged 6 months and 8-9 months. Parents were randomly allocated to one of two groups. One group completed the second questionnaire after the 8-month assessment routinely performed by health visitors, and the other group completed the second questionnaire before the assessment. We showed changes in attitude and concerns over the 2-3 month period, but these were not related to the assessment. It appeared that particular concerns and anxieties were not resolved by a recent contact with a health visitor, although a high proportion of mothers stated that they found the assessment reassuring. There was some evidence of a lack of appreciation, both of the purpose of the tests and of the implication of test failure. Screening tests performed by health visitors at an age of 8 months do not appear to generate undue anxiety in parents. However, as many of the tests used are of doubtful validity, a review of the purpose and content of this early health visitor assessment is needed.