Screening infants with social and emotional problems: a pilot study of the brief infant toddler social and emotional assessment (BITSEA) in Northern Finland.
OBJECTIVE
To compare 3 questionnaires used to evaluate early developmental problems, emotional disturbances and competence in 18-month-old infants.


METHODS
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.
Haapsamo
Helena
H
Clinic of Child Psychiatry, University and University Hospital of Oulu, Oulu, 90029 OYS, Finland. helena.haapsamo@oulu.fi
Ebeling
Hanna
H
Soini
Hannu
H
Joskitt
Leena
L
Larinen
Katja
K
Penninkilampi-Kerola
Varpu
V
Carter
Alice
A
Moilanen
Irma
I
D002675:Child, Preschool; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D010290:Parents; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012920:Social Behavior Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires