Participation Measures for Infants and Toddlers Aged Birth to 23 Months: A Systematic Review

Abstract

Aims

Participation is a key health outcome; however little is known specifically about how to measure participation of infants and toddlers. The aim of this review was to identify and examine the psychometric properties of participation measures for infants and toddlers aged birth to 23 months according to family of Participation-Related Constructs (fPRC).

Methods

Four electronic databases were searched to identify (i) measures available in English, (ii) that quantify at least one participation concept of ‘attendance’ and/or ‘involvement’ according to the fPRC, (iii) with psychometric data for infants or toddlers aged from birth to 23 months published in a full text, peer reviewed journal. Psychometric quality was examined using the COSMIN checklist.

Results

Four measures met the inclusion criteria: Child Engagement in Daily Life (CEDL) measure, Daily Activities of Infants Scale (DAIS), Test of Playfulness (ToP), and Young Children’s Participation and Environment Measure (YC-PEM). All measured ‘attendance’ and three also measured ‘involvement’. Measures showed unknown to moderate validity and unknown to moderate reliability, with the CEDL reporting the strongest psychometric properties.

Conclusion

There are few measures that evaluate infant and toddler participation. Further research is needed to develop psychometrically sound participation measures that evaluate ‘attendance’ and ‘involvement’ for this population.

Keywords:

• Participation
• infants
• toddlers
• measures
• assessments
• family of participation related constructs

Acknowledgements

Thank you to Professor Christine Imms for insights regarding the fPRC during the planning stages of this review.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

CM receives funding from the Australian Government Research Training Program Scholarship and Children’s Hospital Foundation PhD Top Scholarship.

Notes on contributors

Chelsea A. Mobbs

Chelsea A. Mobbs is a Physiotherapist who has worked clinically for 15 years with infants, children and their families. She is a PhD candidate with The University of Queensland.

Alicia J. Spittle

Alicia J. Spittle is a Clinician, Academic and Researcher. A National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Career Development Fellow at the University of Melbourne, Professor Spittle leads the motor team within the Victorian Infant Brain Studies (VIBeS) group, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute. Her research focuses on early assessment and intervention for preterm born children.

Leanne M. Johnston

Leanne M. Johnston is a Researcher and Teacher at The University of Queensland, where she is Chair of the Children's Motor Control Research Collaborative (CMCRC). Associate Professor Johnston’s research focuses on improving the quality and effectiveness of assessments and treatments for children with disorders of motor control.