Screening infants with social and emotional problems: A pilot study of the brief infant toddler social and emotional assessment (BITSEA) in northern Finland

Abstract

Objectives. To compare 3 questionnaires used to evaluate early developmental problems, emotional disturbances and competence in 18-month-old infants.Study design. A follow-up study with parents of infants 8 to 36 months of age who responded to a developmental questionnaire.Methods. Fifty infants (18 months of age) were evaluated through 3 questionnaires: (1) the Brief Infant and Toddler Social and Emotional Assessment (BITSEA), (2) the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and (3) the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories (MCDI).Results. The BITSEA-questionnaire results (total problem scores) had a strong correlation with the most CBCL subscales and the MCDI (total scores) and gave more precise information concerning the infants' developmental problems.Conclusions. The BITSEA questionnaire identifies developmental problems in the early stages and screens infants' social-emotional competence.