Abstract
BackgroundThe Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale (PIR-GAS) signifies a conceptually relevant development in the multi-axial, developmentally sensitive classification system DC:0-3R for preschool children. However, information about the reliability and validity of the PIR-GAS is rare. A review of the available empirical studies suggests that in research, PIR-GAS ratings can be based on a ten-minute videotaped interaction sequence. The qualification of raters may be very heterogeneous across studies.MethodsTo test whether the use of the PIR-GAS still allows for a reliable assessment of the parent-infant relationship, our study compared a PIR-GAS ratings based on a full-information procedure across multiple settings with ratings based on a ten-minute video by two doctoral candidates of medicine. For each mother-child dyad at a family day hospital (N = 48), we obtained two video ratings and one full-information rating at admission to therapy and at discharge. This pre-post design allowed for a replication of our findings across the two measurement points. We focused on the inter-rater reliability between the video coders, as well as between the video and full-information procedure, including mean differences and correlations between the raters. Additionally, we examined aspects of the validity of video and full-information ratings based on their correlation with measures of child and maternal psychopathology.ResultsOur results showed that a ten-minute video and full-information PIR-GAS ratings were not interchangeable. Most results at admission could be replicated by the data obtained at discharge. We concluded that a higher degree of standardization of the assessment procedure should increase the reliability of the PIR-GAS, and a more thorough theoretical foundation of the manual should increase its validity.
Highlights
The Zero To Three Taskforce [1] published the Diagnostic Classification of Mental Health and Developmental Disorders of Infancy and Early Childhood (DC:0–3) in 1994 to address the need for a systematic, developmentally based approach to the classification of mental health and developmental disorders in the first four years of life [1]
Beginning with a discussion of the importance of relationship assessment, this paper provides an overview of the application of the Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale (PIR-GAS) in research studies, reflects the standards of the manual, and describes an empirical study that examined the influence of specific assessment issues on reliability
We examined whether the PIR-GAS ratings based on full clinical information or 10-minute-video were correlated with child and maternal psychopathology, as well as identifying which of the ratings showed higher correlations with these external criteria
Summary
Problems Checklist (RPCL; [2]) Both measures are directly integrated into the multi-axial scheme (described below). Developing reliable measures to assess relationships and related disorders is an empirical challenge [5]. Beginning with a discussion of the importance of relationship assessment, this paper provides an overview of the application of the PIR-GAS in research studies, reflects the standards of the manual, and describes an empirical study that examined the influence of specific assessment issues on reliability. The Parent-Infant Relationship Global Assessment Scale (PIR-GAS) signifies a conceptually relevant development in the multi-axial, developmentally sensitive classification system DC:0-3R for preschool children. A review of the available empirical studies suggests that in research, PIR-GAS ratings can be based on a ten-minute videotaped interaction sequence. The qualification of raters may be very heterogeneous across studies
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