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Inter-rater reliability and acceptance of the structured diagnostic interview for regulatory problems in infancy
Lukka Popp1, Sabrina Fuths1, Sabine Seehagen2
1Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany.
Insights
The Baby-DIPS, a computer-assisted interview, reliably assesses infant regulatory problems like crying and sleep issues. It was well-accepted by mothers and interviewers, making it suitable for research and clinical use.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Infant Mental Health
- Clinical Assessment
Background:
- Infant regulatory problems, including excessive crying and sleep/feeding difficulties, are early indicators of lifelong mental health challenges.
- Identifying these issues early is crucial for timely intervention and support.
- The Baby-DIPS (Baby Diagnostic Interview for Prevention and Screening) is a structured tool designed to assess these regulatory problems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the inter-rater reliability of the Baby-DIPS for assessing infant regulatory problems.
- To assess the acceptance of the computer-assisted Baby-DIPS by mothers and interviewers.
- To determine the suitability of the Baby-DIPS for both research and clinical applications.
Main Methods:
- A community sample of 132 mothers with infants aged 3-18 months were interviewed using the Baby-DIPS.
- Inter-rater reliability was calculated using Cohen's kappa (k) for current and lifetime regulatory problems.
- Acceptance questionnaires were completed by 48 mother-interviewer pairs.
Main Results:
- The Baby-DIPS demonstrated good to excellent inter-rater reliability for current and lifetime regulatory problems (k = 0.77-0.98).
- High inter-rater agreement was observed for symptom severity ratings (ICC = 0.86-0.97).
- Both mothers and interviewers reported favorable acceptance of the computer-assisted interview.
Conclusions:
- The Baby-DIPS is a reliable and well-accepted tool for assessing infant crying and sleeping problems.
- Its computer-assisted format enhances usability for mothers and interviewers.
- The Baby-DIPS is well-suited for identifying infant regulatory problems in both research and clinical settings.
Background:
Regulatory problems such as excessive crying, sleeping-and feeding difficulties in infancy are some of the earliest precursors of later mental health difficulties emerging throughout the lifespan. In the present study, the inter-rater reliability and acceptance of a structured computer-assisted diagnostic interview for regulatory problems (Baby-DIPS) was investigated.
Methods:
Using a community sample, 132 mothers of infants aged between 3 and 18 months (mean age = 10 months) were interviewed with the Baby-DIPS regarding current and former (combined = lifetime) regulatory problems. Severity of the symptoms was also rated. The interviews were conducted face-to-face at a psychology department at the university (51.5 %), the mother's home (23.5 %), or via telephone (25.0 %). Inter-rater reliability was assessed with Cohen's kappa (k). A sample of 48 mothers and their interviewers filled in acceptance questionnaires after the interview.
Results:
Good to excellent inter-rater reliability on the levels of current and lifetime regulatory problems (k = 0.77-0.98) were found. High inter-rater agreement was also found for ratings of severity (ICC = 0.86-0.97). Participants and interviewers' overall acceptance ratings of the computer-assisted interview were favourable. Acceptance scores did not differ between interviews that revealed one or more clinically relevant regulatory problem(s) compared to those that revealed no regulatory problems.
Conclusions:
The Baby-DIPS was found to be a reliable instrument for the assessment of current and lifetime problems in crying and sleeping behaviours. The computer-assisted version of the Baby-DIPS was well accepted by interviewers and mothers. The Baby-DIPS appears to be well-suited for research and clinical use to identify infant regulatory problems.
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