Problem in diagnosing the mental development of infants and young children
https://doi.org/10.24884/2219-8245-2025-17-4-2-15
Abstract
Objective: to compare the methods for diagnosing the mental development of infants and young children, which are popular among Russian specialists. Materials and Methods: domestic and foreign methods, available to Russian users from literary sources and on the Internet. Research method: comparative analysis. Results: the considered methods differ in the time and country of publication, the presence of reprints, age focus, and the depth of developmental assessment. Forms of presentation of stimulus material include a test, a parent questionnaire, a development table, and experimental situations. The average number of assessed developmental areas is 5, with speech, motor skills, and everyday skills development assessed most frequently, and social and emotional development least frequently. Information on testing the psychometric properties of the methods on Russian samples is lacking in most cases. The development criteria used are excessively numerous and lack consistency; age standards may differ significantly from each other. Conclusions: diagnostics of mental development of infants and young children in Russia as a scientific and practical discipline is in crisis; The methods used in clinical and research practice to assess child development do not provide reliable results. Radical changes are needed in the development and validation of modern Russian diagnostic tools for assessing early childhood development.
About the Author
S. V. Trushkina
Mental Health Research Center
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
PhD in Psychology
Moscow
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For citations:
Trushkina S.V. Problem in diagnosing the mental development of infants and young children. Medical Psychology in Russia. 2025;17(4):2-15. (In Russ.) https://doi.org/10.24884/2219-8245-2025-17-4-2-15
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