Caregiver-Infant Interaction Quality: A Review of Observational Assessment Tools

The relationship between caregiver and infant interaction quality and infant developmental outcomes has long been established. As children mature, problems stemming from troubled caregiver-infant relations may result in referral to mental health, early intervention, or child protection services. The accurate and appropriate assessment of caregiver-infant interaction is critical for early recognition of problematic relations and for informing suitable treatment modalities. Evaluating the quality of the caregiver-infant relationship poses a challenge for researchers and clinicians seeking to explore the association between infant development and the quality of early caregiving experiences. This paper describes and compares commonly used measures of caregiver-infant interaction, including the Parent-Child Interaction Scales, Mutual Regulation Scales, Parent-Child Early Relationship Assessment, Mother-Infant Communication Screening, Ainsworth Maternal Sensitivity Scales, Maternal Behavior Q-sort, and the Emotional Availability Scales.