Review of Rating Scales that Measure Parent-Infant Interaction

Abstract

Social interaction between infants and parents serves as the foundation for later development. Infants with disabilities and their parents may, at times, experience difficulty in engaging in positive and sustained interactions. A task force representing the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs has recommended inclusion of direct observation of child-caregiver interactions in the assessment process (Greenspan & Meisels, 1994). However, researchers and practitioners may have difficulty obtaining appropriate instruments for assessing parent-infant interaction (Farran, Clark, & Ray, 1990). The purpose of this article is to review rating scales, recognized as one method of gathering information to assess parent-infant interaction. Identifying information, descriptive information, and psychometric qualities of these scales are presented. Discussion includes implications for practice and directions for future research.