[Infant temperament at 6-9 months old: validation of the French version of the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire and factors associated with measurement].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to assess the validity of the French version of the Infant Characteristics Questionnaire (ICQ), which was developed by Bates in 1979 to investigate the parental perceptions of infant temperament at 6 months of age.


METHODS
The French version was established after translation/back-translation, and tested on a sample of 794 mothers, who gave birth in 1995 in four French Departments and who returned the questionnaire which was mailed 6 months after the birth.


RESULTS
The non-response rate of each item was very low (< 2%). Factor analysis resulted in the same four factors as in the American data: fussy/difficult, unadaptable, unpredictable, dull. However, some of the items did not have similar factor loadings. Thus new factor scores were defined for the French version of the ICQ. Internal consistency, as measured by the Cronbach coefficient, was satisfactory (> 0.7) for the factors fussy/difficult and unadaptable. It was lower, but acceptable (> 0.6) for the two other factors. The infant's temperament was not related to birth parameters. In contrast, some factor scores were significantly associated with parity, mother's education, as well as her health and the infant's health after leaving the maternity ward.


CONCLUSIONS
The French version of the ICQ is well accepted and has a good validity. This scale provides a useful instrument for research, especially for epidemiological studies on infant health and development, as well as their determinants.
Bertrais
S
S
INSERM U.149, Villejuif, France.
Larroque
B
B
Bouvier-Colle
M H
MH
Kaminski
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001290:Attitude; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D004522:Educational Status; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D005602:France; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009035:Mothers / Q000523:psychology*; D010298:Parity; D002666:Psychology, Child; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*; D013694:Temperament; D014175:Translating
Tempérament des nourrissons âgés de 6 à 9 mois: validation de la version française de l'Infant Characteristics Questionnaire et facteurs associés à la mesure.