Parent-Infant Interaction Tasks Adapted for Remote Testing: Strengths, Challenges, and Recommendations.

Area of Science:

• Developmental Psychology
• Behavioral Science
• Research Methodology

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated adaptations in research practices due to laboratory closures and safety concerns.
• Longitudinal studies are particularly vulnerable to data collection disruptions, risking cascading data loss and study viability.

Purpose of the Study:

• To adapt established parent-infant interaction tasks for a supervised, remote online testing framework.
• To evaluate the feasibility, validity, and accessibility of remote data collection for developmental research.
• To maintain data collection for an ongoing longitudinal study on emotion development during the pandemic.

Main Methods:

• Adapted two parent-infant interaction tasks (free-play and toy removal) for remote administration.
• Developed a supervised, online testing framework for data collection.
• Critically evaluated the strengths and challenges of the remote testing format.

Main Results:

• The remote framework proved feasible for continuing data collection in a longitudinal study.
• Identified key considerations regarding the testing environment, task validity, and participant recruitment in a remote setting.
• Highlighted challenges related to accessibility, recruitment, and diversity in online data collection.

Conclusions:

• Remote adaptation of behavioral tasks is a viable strategy for maintaining longitudinal research during disruptions.
• The outlined framework offers a model for other researchers needing to pivot to remote data collection.
• Addressing challenges in accessibility and diversity is crucial for the success of remote research methodologies.