Mother-child interaction on video compared with infant observation: Is five minutes enough time for assessment?

In this small-scale preliminary study, we compared the correlation between assessments based on short videorecordings and infant observation. Five mother-infant dyads were assessed when the child was 1 year of age according to the Parent-Child Early Relational Assessment method (PCERA, 65 items) developed by Roseanne Clark (1985), using both observations covering 1 year and a 5-min videorecording. The agreement between two video raters was sufficient (κ = 0.41-1.00 or proportion of agreement: 4/5-5/5) in 54 items. In 42 (78%) of these items, there was at least moderate agreement (κ = 0.41-1.00 or proportion of agreement 4/5-5/5), and in another 7 (13%) items fair (κ = 0.21-0.40 or proportion of agreement 3/5) agreement between the video and observation ratings, and both methods revealed the areas of strength and areas of concern of the dyads. Only a few items describing negative interactive style were assessed as identifying concern, but such items identified the dyad which was assessed to have the most constant problems. Most items describing positive interactive style and identifying the areas of concern in the interactive style according to both observation and video assessment were connected with the parental and dyadic engagement in the interaction. Five items with slight or poor (κ ≤ 0.20 or proportion of agreement 1/5-2/5) agreement between video rater and observer gave rise to questions about how the videorecording situation affected the behavior of the dyads, and about the limits of assessment methods and assessment of dyads with children of different ages and dyads from different cultures. ©2005 Michigan Association for Infant Mental Health.