Standardized Infant NeuroDevelopmental Assessment developmental and socio‐emotional scales: reliability and predictive value in an at‐risk population

AIM: To assess the reliability and predictive validity of the developmental and socio‐emotional scales of the Standardized Infant NeuroDevelopmental Assessment (SINDA). METHOD: To assess reliability, two sets of three assessors forming eight assessor‐pairs independently rated the developmental and socio‐emotional scales of 60 infants. To evaluate predictive validity, 223 infants (gestational age 30wks [range 23–41wks]; 117 males, 106 females) attending a non‐academic outpatient clinic were assessed by different assessors with SINDA’s neurological, developmental, and socio‐emotional scales. Atypical neurodevelopmental outcome at a corrected age of 24 months or older implied a Bayley Mental or Psychomotor Developmental Index score of less than 70 or neurological disorder (including cerebral palsy). Behavioural and emotional disorders were classified according to the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision. Predictive values were calculated from SINDA (2–12mo corrected age, median 7mo) and typical versus atypical outcome, and for intellectual disability only (Mental Developmental Index <70). RESULTS: Assessors highly agreed on the developmental and socio‐emotional assessments (developmental scores: Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient ρ=0.972; single socio‐emotional behaviour items: Cohen’s κ=0.783–0.896). At 24 months or older, 65 children had atypical outcome. Atypical neurological scores predicted atypical outcome (sensitivity 83%, specificity 96%); atypical developmental scores predicted intellectual disability (sensitivity 77%, specificity 92%). Atypical emotionality and atypical self‐regulation were associated with behavioural and emotional disorders. INTERPRETATION: SINDA’s three scales are reliable, and have a satisfactory predictive validity for atypical developmental outcome at 24 months or older in a non‐academic outpatient setting. SINDA’s developmental scale has promising predictive validity for intellectual disability. SINDA’s socio‐emotional scale is a tool for caregiver counselling. WHAT THIS PAPER ADDS: Standardized Infant NeuroDevelopmental Assessment (SINDA)’s developmental and socio‐emotional scales have excellent interrater reliability. Replication of the satisfactory validity of SINDA’s neurological scale for atypical outcome.