title: Inter-rater reliability and acceptance of the structured diagnostic interview for regulatory problems in infancy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Regulatory problems such as excessive crying, sleeping-and feeding difficulties in infancy are some of the earliest precursors of later mental health difficulties emerging throughout the lifespan. In the present study, the inter-rater reliability and acceptance of a structured computer-assisted diagnostic interview for regulatory problems (Baby-DIPS) was investigated.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using a community sample, 132 mothers of infants aged between 3 and 18 months (mean age = 10 months) were interviewed with the Baby-DIPS regarding current and former (combined = lifetime) regulatory problems. Severity of the symptoms was also rated. The interviews were conducted face-to-face at a psychology department at the university (51.5 %), the mother's home (23.5 %), or via telephone (25.0 %). Inter-rater reliability was assessed with Cohen's kappa (k). A sample of 48 mothers and their interviewers filled in acceptance questionnaires after the interview.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Good to excellent inter-rater reliability on the levels of current and lifetime regulatory problems (k = 0.77-0.98) were found. High inter-rater agreement was also found for ratings of severity (ICC = 0.86-0.97). Participants and interviewers' overall acceptance ratings of the computer-assisted interview were favourable. Acceptance scores did not differ between interviews that revealed one or more clinically relevant regulatory problem(s) compared to those that revealed no regulatory problems.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The Baby-DIPS was found to be a reliable instrument for the assessment of current and lifetime problems in crying and sleeping behaviours. The computer-assisted version of the Baby-DIPS was well accepted by interviewers and mothers. The Baby-DIPS appears to be well-suited for research and clinical use to identify infant regulatory problems.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Lukka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Popp
authors.affiliation: Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fuths
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of Waikato, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton, 3240 New Zealand.
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Seehagen
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychopathology, Child and Adolescents Psychiatric Clinic, University Basel, Schanzenstrasse 13, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Margarete
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bolten
authors.affiliation: Department of Developmental Psychopathology, Child and Adolescents Psychiatric Clinic, University Basel, Schanzenstrasse 13, 4056 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Mirja
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gross-Hemmi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology and Health Sciences Research Institute, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV47AL UK.
authors.forename: Dieter
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wolke
authors.affiliation: Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology, Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787 Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Schneider
keywords: Acceptance; Baby-DIPS; Infancy; Regulatory problems; Reliability; Structured diagnostic interview