Technical Report

The SEAM benchmarks and items were identified from the literature on social-emotional development of young children raised in mainly Western cultures. Certain concepts emerged as essential to the mental health competence of young children (Squires & Bricker, 2007). These benchmarks were reviewed and revised based on feedback from family members and experts in related fields.

Research Questions

1. What is the item functioning for the Infant and Toddler Intervals?
2. What is the reliability of the Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Intervals, including internal consistency, test–retest, and interrater reliability?
3. What is the validity of the Infant, Toddler, and Preschool Intervals, specifically content and congruent validity?

Data Collection

Data were gathered from various caregivers across the United States using both pencil-and-paper and online formats, collecting a total of 2,201 SEAMs, with 1,850 collected online and 351 via paper.

Sample Demographics

• Gender: 59% male, 41% female
• Ethnic Composition: Predominantly Caucasian (76.1%), multiracial (6.2%), Hispanic/Latino (4.9%), African American (4.7%), Asian (3.7%), American Indian/Alaskan Native (1.1%).
• Caregiver Education: 60% had a bachelor’s or postgraduate degree, 19% had some college, 17% had a high school diploma, and 4% had not completed high school.

Psychometric Properties

• Reliability: Test–retest reliability for the SEAM intervals was found to be very high, and interrater reliability was assessed through correlation coefficients across different teacher dyads.
• Validity: Concurrent validity was established through correlation with other established measures, demonstrating significant relationships across different age intervals.

Data Analysis Techniques

Data analysis included item response theory (IRT) modeling to examine item functionality and classical test analyses for validity and reliability studies. The item fit statistics generated during these analyses indicated most selected models functioned well across different assessment modes.

Statistical Results

Conclusions

The SEAM system shows promise based on initial results demonstrating valid, reliable, and useful assessments of social-emotional development. Future research is necessary to confirm these findings on a larger scale.