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Validation of the Dutch Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being Screening Tool in Parents of Infants Less than 12 Months
Karola de Graaf1, Yael E P Kwakman1, Ineke de Kruijff1
1Department of Pediatrics, St. Antonius Hospital, Utrecht, The Netherlands.
Insights
The Dutch Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being (ICPW) tool reliably identifies parents struggling with infant crying. This validated screening instrument accurately detects parental mental health issues, aiding early intervention.
Area of Science:
- Parental mental health
- Infant care
- Psychological assessment
Background:
- Infant crying is a common stressor for parents.
- Early identification of parental distress is crucial for well-being.
- Validated tools are needed to screen parents experiencing challenges with infant crying.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being (ICPW) tool.
- To determine if the ICPW tool can effectively identify parents struggling with infant crying in the first year of life.
Main Methods:
- Translation of the original ICPW tool into Dutch following established guidelines.
- Cross-sectional evaluation of internal consistency and criterion validity.
- Administering the Dutch ICPW and validated parental mental health questionnaires to 488 parents of infants under 12 months.
Main Results:
- The Dutch ICPW demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.69) and excellent criterion validity (r = 0.53-0.85) with parental mental health measures.
- Positive correlations were found between ICPW scores and parental depression, stress, and anxiety, and a negative correlation with parenting balance.
- 32% of parents screened positive, reporting significantly higher mental health issues; the tool showed a 93% negative predictive value for postpartum depression.
Conclusions:
- The Dutch ICPW tool is a reliable and valid screening instrument.
- It effectively identifies parents experiencing difficulties with infant crying.
- The tool supports early detection of parental mental health challenges.
Objective:
To evaluate reliability and validity of the Dutch version of the Infant Crying and Parent Well-Being (ICPW) tool in identifying parents struggling with infant crying in the first year of life.
Study Design:
The original ICPW tool was translated into Dutch following established guidelines. The internal consistency and criterion validity of the Dutch ICPW tool were evaluated using a cross-sectional design. The translated ICPW tool and validated questionnaires on parental depression, stress, anxiety, and parenting balance were presented to parents of infants under 12 months during child health care visits and online.
Results:
The survey was completed by 488 parents, 400 mothers and 88 fathers. Of these, 172 participated after a child health care visit and 316 via online platforms. The Dutch ICPW showed satisfactory internal consistency (α = 0.69) and excellent criterion validity with parental mental health measures (r = 0.53-0.85). ICPW scores demonstrated positive correlations with parental depression, stress, and anxiety levels, and a negative correlation with parenting balance. Both mothers and fathers with a positive ICPW screen (≥3) reported significantly higher levels of parental mental health issues compared with those with a negative screen (P < .001). The ICPW was positive in 32% of the parents (n = 155), with consistent total scores regardless of the infant's increasing age (r = -0.024, P = .59). The ICPW tool exhibited a strong negative predictive value (93%) for diagnosing postpartum depression.
Conclusions:
The Dutch ICPW tool is a reliable and valid screening instrument for identifying parents struggling with infant crying.
