Measurement of Early-Childhood Social Emotional Learning: A Systematic Review of the Deca-I/T

Background and Purpose: About 67% of children in the US experience a traumatic experience by the age of 18, which increasing percentages being exposed prior to age three. Positive social-emotional development significantly influences the impact of these experiences and the foundation of this development occurs in early childhood. The Devereaux Early Childhood Assessment for Infants and Toddlers (DECA-I/T), identifies and assesses socioemotional protective factors. This information can be utilized to develop and implement effective intervention with children in social work practice. The purpose of this review was to conduct a systematic review of the empirical evidence for the psychometric properties of the DECA-I/T.

Methods: Potential studies were identifiedthrough systematic searches of the following electronic databases: PsycARTICLES – APA PsycNET, PsycINFO – APA PsycNET, ERIC – EBSCO, ERIC – ProQuest, PubMed NLM, Social Science Citations Index, Social Science Premium Collection, Social Sciences Full Text, Academic Search Complete, Social Services Abstracts, PsycINFO – ProQuest, and ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global. Studies including children 0-3 and using the DECA-I/T were included. The original search yielded 203 articles, concluding with a final sample size of 7 studies.

Results: Empirical evidence of the DECA I/T was synthesized to appraise the overall validity and reliability of the measure, illustrate any reasons for conflicting evidence, and explain any variation in the evidence between studies. The final sample included 7 studies. However, a notable gap was found in the literature: The various articles that have been published since the original 2007 exploratory factor analysis (EFA) have not conducted any of their own analysis of reliability or validity. Additionally, many of the studies identified in the review referred to the original validation of the DECA measure, rather than the DECA-I/T. This original analysis reported excellent reliability scores and psychometric validity for the measure and was representative across various demographic categories. The results of that assessment supported the factor structure within that one sample, but a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) has never been conducted. Regardless, this measure is continuously cited as one of the most reliable and valid measures for assessing socioemotional health among infants and toddlers.

Conclusions and Implications: More research must be conducted utilizing this measure to assess its reliability and validity with samples of children of varying demographic characteristics, regions, and centers, as it remains a widely implemented measure. Additionally, examinations of factor validity must be conducted, as it has been over a decade since this measure was originally assessed via an EFA. Although this measure originally demonstrated acceptable reliability and validity, these findings are likely sample specific. Results from the review point to the need for future examinations of the DECA-I/T and larger implications for conducting psychometric analyses of established measures.