Standard Measurement Protocols for Pediatric Development Research in the PhenX Toolkit

Abstract

A challenge in conducting pediatric research is selecting reliable, valid measurement protocols, across a range of domains, that are appropriate for the developmental level of the study population. The purpose of this report is to introduce the research community to the Pediatric Development Research Domain of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)–supported PhenX Toolkit (consensus measures for Phenotypes and eXposures). The PhenX Toolkit provides a catalog of recommended measurement protocols to address a wide range of research topics that are suitable for inclusion in a variety of study designs. In 2018, the Pediatric Development Working Group of experts identified 18 well-established protocols of pediatric development for inclusion in the Toolkit to complement existing protocols. Collectively, the protocols assess parenting, child care attendance and quality, peer relationships, home environment, neonatal abstinence, emotional and behavioral functioning, and other factors that influence child development. The Toolkit provides detailed data collection protocols, data dictionaries, and worksheets to help investigators incorporate these protocols into their study designs. Using standard protocols in studies with pediatric participants will support consistent data collection, improve data quality, and facilitate cross-study analyses to ultimately improve child health.