Instruments for assessing parent-infant relationships: a scoping review protocol

<ns3:p>Background The parent-infant relationship plays a central role in early emotional, cognitive, and social development. Difficulties in bonding, interaction, attachment, or parental sensitivity during the first two years of life may have lasting consequences for children and families, making early identification essential for timely support and intervention. Although a range of instruments has been developed to assess parent-infant relational processes, the evidence remains dispersed, and no comprehensive mapping of instruments specifically applicable from birth to 24 months has been identified. This scoping review aims to map the instruments used to assess parent-infant relationships during the first 24 months of life and to describe their main characteristics. Methods This scoping review protocol follows the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. Studies describing instruments used to assess the parent-infant relationship among parents of typically developing infants aged 0–24 months will be considered across any clinical, community, research, or cultural context. Eligible instruments may assess bonding, interaction, attachment, parental sensitivity, or related relational dimensions. Studies involving preterm infants, infants with medical conditions or developmental disorders, or instruments focused exclusively on parental stress or mental health without explicit assessment of relational dynamics will be excluded. A three-step search strategy will be used to identify published and unpublished studies and grey literature. Two reviewers will independently screen records, extract data using a piloted charting form, and summarise findings in tables and descriptive narrative form. The final scoping review will be reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). This review will provide an overview of available instruments, their characteristics, contexts of use, psychometric properties, adaptations, and short-form versions. This protocol is registered in the Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/HRVX9).</ns3:p>

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Journal
Open Research Europe
Published
2026-05-16
DOI
https://doi.org/10.12688/openreseurope.23592.1
Primary Topic
Infant Development and Preterm Care
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
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article

Instruments for assessing parent-infant relationships: a scoping review protocol

Lence Miloseva, Bahar Aksoy, Rajesh Shigdel, Andreia Soares Gonçalves et al.
Open Research Europe
Infant Development and Preterm Care
article

Instruments for assessing parent-infant relationships: a scoping review protocol

Lence Miloseva, Bahar Aksoy, Rajesh Shigdel, Andreia Soares Gonçalves, Esra Ardahan Akgül, Diana Azevedo, Anat Talmon, Margarida Reis Santos, Elif Bulut, Carmen Power, Özlem Koç, Hazal Özdemir Koyu, Gilberta Sousa, Alena Lochmannová, Kristiina Uriko, Rosa Silva, Anna‐Lena Zietlow, Semra Pinar, Mirlinda Markaj, Mario Santos, Sónia Brandão, Patrícia Souto, Ayça Demir Yıldırım, Pelin Dikmen-Yildiz, Tuğba Yilmaz Esencan, Tânia Brandão, Seda Ardahan Sevgili, Ewa Gieysztor, Otília Freitas, Patrícia Gonçalves, Burcu Kömürcü Akik, Rafael A. Caparros-Gonzalez, Demet Gülaldı, Edanur Tar Tar Bolacali, Paula Prata, Pinar Gencpinar, Remziye Can, Nicola Carone, Özlem Şensoy, Wilson Abreu, Tuğçe Sönmez, Dora d'Orsi, Aycin Ezgi Onel
article en

Abstract

<ns3:p>Background The parent-infant relationship plays a central role in early emotional, cognitive, and social development. Difficulties in bonding, interaction, attachment, or parental sensitivity during the first two years of life may have lasting consequences for children and families, making early identification essential for timely support and intervention. Although a range of instruments has been developed to assess parent-infant relational processes, the evidence remains dispersed, and no comprehensive mapping of instruments specifically applicable from birth to 24 months has been identified. This scoping review aims to map the instruments used to assess parent-infant relationships during the first 24 months of life and to describe their main characteristics. Methods This scoping review protocol follows the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for scoping reviews. Studies describing instruments used to assess the parent-infant relationship among parents of typically developing infants aged 0–24 months will be considered across any clinical, community, research, or cultural context. Eligible instruments may assess bonding, interaction, attachment, parental sensitivity, or related relational dimensions. Studies involving preterm infants, infants with medical conditions or developmental disorders, or instruments focused exclusively on parental stress or mental health without explicit assessment of relational dynamics will be excluded. A three-step search strategy will be used to identify published and unpublished studies and grey literature. Two reviewers will independently screen records, extract data using a piloted charting form, and summarise findings in tables and descriptive narrative form. The final scoping review will be reported in accordance with the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). This review will provide an overview of available instruments, their characteristics, contexts of use, psychometric properties, adaptations, and short-form versions. This protocol is registered in the Open Science Framework (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/HRVX9).</ns3:p>

Open Research EuropeVol. 6
University of Rome Tor Vergata (IT), Üsküdar University (TR), University of Leeds (GB), Izmir University (TR), Ankara University (TR), Universidad de Granada (ES), Universidade do Porto (PT), Universidade Politécnica de Viana do Castelo (PT), Tallinn University (EE), Hebrew University of Jerusalem (IL), Akdeniz University (TR), Ahi Evran University (TR), Charles University (CZ), Tokat Gaziosmanpaşa Üniversitesi (TR), Izmir Kâtip Çelebi University (TR), Kırklareli University (TR), Wroclaw Medical University (PL), Ege University (TR), Ankara Atatürk Eğitim ve Araştırma Hastanesi (TR), Agencia Regional da Energia e Ambiente da Regiao Autonoma da Madeira (PT), Iscte – Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (PT), Antalya Bilim University (TR), ISPA - Instituto Universitário (PT), Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria de Granada (ES), Escola Superior de Enfermagem da Universidade do Porto (PT), Tarsus University (TR), Hospital Braga (PT), Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services (IL), Goce Delcev University (MK), Clinical Academic Center of Braga (PT), Antalya IVF (TR), Oldham Council (GB), Universidade Politécnica de Portalegre (PT), Hochschule für Technik und Wirtschaft Dresden – University of Applied Sciences (DE), University of Bergen (NO), Mustafa Kemal University (TR), Kahramanmaraş Sütçü İmam University (TR), Escola Superior de Enfermagem de Coimbra (PT), Universidade da Madeira (PT), Istanbul University (TR), Comenius University Bratislava (SK), Technische Universität Dresden (DE), Gazi University (TR), University of Minho (PT)
HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme
Openalex Percentile: Top 4%
Infant Development and Preterm Care
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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