Multivariate assessment in early childhood intervention

In the field of early childhood intervention traditional norm-orientated assessment of children with disabilities or developmental delays has been criticized. Regarding the aims of early intervention, and in view of ecological-systemic and transactional models of development, multivariate approaches are therefore required. Multivariate assessment takes the individual situation of the child and his or her family into account and provides valid information for multi-modal early childhood intervention, cooperation with the family, and the evaluation of the early intervention process. With regard to future multivariate assessment in early intervention, the article reviews the current situation of assessment in child development, parent-child interaction, and family assessment based on literature dealing with developmental psychology and early intervention.