Infant CARE-Index – online training by Zoom video conference

The Infant  CARE-Index (ICI, Crittenden, 1981) is the simplest and most versatile of the DMM assessments. It assesses patterns of interaction of infants and their carers from birth to about 15 months of age based on a 3-minute video-recorded play interaction. It does not assess attachment and captures the best of dyad’s functioning (rather than capturing the dyad’s response to stress, i.e., attachment). The ICI has extensive published validating evidence.

The course is taught from videotapes and depends upon both adult and infant behavior. Non-verbal behavior, interpersonal strategies, and developmental processes are emphasized. Adult patterns consist of sensitivity, controlling, and unresponsivity; the infant patterns are cooperative, difficult, compulsive compliant, caregiving or attention, and passive. The course includes a preliminary reliability test based on a standardized set of American mother-infant dyads. During the course, participants generate a set of videotapes that reflect their intended applications and culture(s). These tapes are used to assess the participant’s competence in administering the procedure.

Who is it for? The Infant CARE-Index is a useful, portable tool for a wide range of Health and Social Care professionals whose work involves assessing and mounting interventions to improve parent-child interaction in the first 15 months of the child’s life. It can be used with families from all backgrounds and cultures and with infants and toddlers, including those with developmental problems such as physical and learning disabilities.