Poster #78 - Training Administrators to Validate Developmental Assessments: Using the NIH Baby Toolbox as a Test Case

• In Event: Poster Session 01

Abstract

Since 2012, the NIH Toolbox for the Assessment of Neurological and Behavioral Function (NIHTB) has offered standardized, normed measures of cognitive, emotional, sensory and motor functioning for individuals 3-85 years of age. However, the current NIHTB was not designed, tested, or normed for children under the age of 3. Infancy/early childhood reflects a critical period of development and could benefit from assessments of this nature.

To address this need, the NIH Infant and Toddler Toolbox (also referred to as the NIH Baby Toolbox, or NBT) was developed to provide assessments for neuropsychological, cognitive, and social functioning in infants from 1 month through 42 months. NBT evaluates six primary domains of development (Cognition/Executive Function, Language, Motor, Numeracy/Early Mathematics, Self-Regulation, and Social Functioning) through approximately 25 different measures utilizing direct assessment, behavioral observation, and parent report, respectively.

In December of 2021, we conducted a feasibility/usability interview with four trained administrators who had completed validation testing of the NBT with 100+ infants and toddlers in four cities. The four trainers spent approximately 40 hours over one week being trained in-person and completed nearly 10 hours of practice and certification on their own. With these interviews, we sought to better understand the validation results by gathering administrators’ perspectives on what was straightforward, easy, difficult, and/or confusing about conducting the NBT with participants. These results could improve the measures, navigation, and general ease of access for the NBT product before norming, and eventually, full delivery. As the NBT uses a “train the trainer” model, it is especially significant to understand how our administrators felt about training and execution to improve training for the future.

Overall, our trained administrators found the NBT to be an exciting platform for assessing infant and toddler development in six primary domains of interest. Our conversation with them highlighted three main themes: difficulties in administration, difficulties for participants, and areas of success. Our interviews noted that the order of the measures, measure length, user error, and cognitive load were factors in the challenges they experienced field testing the NBT. They also mentioned concerns around the user interface and measure content that made the NBT difficult for participants to complete in a successful manner. Despite these challenges, the administrators did have considerable success and emphasized several elements that made their experiences smoother or otherwise enjoyable. Given the information within these themes and sub-themes, we provide a list of recommendations that can improve the NBT experience for administrators, infant/toddler participants, and their families.

Group Authors

NIH Baby Toolbox

Authors

• Sarah Pila, Northwestern University
  Presenting Author

• Abigail Sivan

• Aaron J Kaat, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University

• Richard Gershon, Northwestern University