Poster #239 - Validity and reliability of a novel smart garment for tracking infants’ body position: preliminary study

• In Event: 3-106 - Poster Session 11
  In Poster Session: PS 11 Section - Technology, Media & Child Development

Integrative Statement

Background: At early ages, infants’ experience of different body positions (e.g., supine, prone, upright) is reliant on parents/ caregivers. Advanced handling techniques provided by parents have been shown to facilitate future motor and cognitive development (Lobo & Galloway, 2008; 2013). A smart garment named the Get Around Garment (GG) was designed in the Move to Learn Innovation Lab at the University of Delaware to track infants’ body position (prone, supine, reclined/inclined, or upright) via an integrated accelerometer. Tracking infants’ positions throughout the day in the natural environment could allow for the collection of important normative developmental data. Sensor feedback has the potential to shape infant-caregiver interactions and optimize the trajectory of infants’ motor and cognitive development. This study aimed to assess the validity and reliability of the GG. Methods: The study examined ten infants with typical motor development (M = 52.1 ± 23.6 percentile on the Alberta Motor Infant Scale) at 2- to 4.5-months-old (M= 3.4± 1.1), assessed once at home while wearing the GG and being video-recorded. Each session included: 1) Structured Play Assessment: the infant was placed into the following positions for 15-30 seconds each: supine, prone, inclined about 45 degrees from upright, reclined about 45 degrees from upright, and seated upright; 2) Free Play Assessment: the caregiver and infant engaged in their typical daily activities for 40-60 minutes; and 3) a second Structured Play Assessment. Infants’ body positions (prone, supine, reclined/inclined, and upright) were identified from the GG data using LabView programming and from the video data using Datavyu software for behavioral coding. Validity of the smart garment was assessed by comparing agreement between the smart garment data and the video data; descriptive analysis of data was also performed. Reliability was ascertained by comparing data from the first and second Structured Play Assessments using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with values greater than 0.80 considered good, and greater than 0.90 excellent (Portney & Watkins, 2009). Results: Data demonstrated the GG to hold a 93.7 ± 4.5 % validity. The ICC was 0.997 (95% CI: 0.992-0.999) between the first and second structured assessments, indicating excellent reliability. Conclusion: These preliminary data suggest the GG might be a valid and reliable means of monitoring infants’ body position in a natural setting. The GG has the potential to allow us to better understand early handling and positioning practices across high-risk groups, such as for infants born preterm or infants in low socioeconomic environments.

Authors

• Andrea Baraldi Cunha, University of Delaware
  Presenting Author

• Ben Greenspan, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author

• Iryna Babik, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author

• Aaron Rubin, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author

• Michele A. Lobo, University of Delaware
  Non-Presenting Author