title: Applying the ICF-CY framework to examine biological and environmental factors in early childhood development.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Previous cohort studies for the general pediatric population had a limited focus on either environmental or biological influences, or a specific theoretical framework. The child's development, however, is a composite of physical, mental, social, environmental, and personal factors. The framework of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Children and Youth Version (ICF-CY) provides a comprehensive model for investigating the influential factors of child development within a biopsychosocial perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  A birth cohort study followed up 122 child-parent dyads at birth and when the children were 4 months, 6 months, and 2.5 years old. Structural equation modeling was conducted based on the concept and the definitions of ICF-CY.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The path coefficients linking exposures and outcome variables were significant except for the paths from birth weight to general development of infants and toddlers. Home environment explained 59% of variance of infant developmental outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The proposed model based on ICF-CY showed acceptable fit to the data and provides support for the importance of the home environment on general development of infants and toddlers.
authors.affiliation: Graduate Institute of Early Intervention, College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Ai-Wen
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.affiliation: The School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine, Taiwan. Electronic address: hfliao@ntu.edu.tw.
authors.forename: Hua-Fang
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Pau-Chung
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Wu-Shiun
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Hsieh
authors.affiliation: School Psychology and Early Childhood Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Rune J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Simeonsson
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Li-Jen
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Weng
authors.affiliation: Department of Genetics, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Yi-Ning
authors.initials: YN
authors.lastname: Su
mesh_terms: D001724:Birth Weight; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D064702:International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health; D008297:Male; D013694:Temperament
keywords: ICF; child development; health promotion; social environment; structural equation modeling