Measuring the Quality of Caregiver-Child Interactions for Infants and Toddlers (Q-CCIIT)

The Quality of Caregiver-Child Interactions for Infants and Toddlers (Q-CCIIT) observation tool was developed to measure the quality of child care settings serving infants and toddlers, including center-based care and family child care homes, single-age classrooms, and mixed-age settings. Funded by the Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation (OPRE) in the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the project featured a literature review and development of a conceptual framework, followed by three data collection phases culminating in a 400-observation psychometric field test. These field test analyses provide psychometric evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the Q-CCIIT as a measure of caregiving quality.

The Q-CCIIT tool was designed to be useful for research, evaluation, and charting professional development across a range of settings. The tool enables users to identify strengths and challenges in caregiving in a variety of settings and has the potential to assess different approaches for improving caregiving for our youngest children. The project was carried out by a diverse team of technical and substantive experts, guided by federal staff in research and program offices, as well as input from a panel of academic experts in the field. Project leadership included Louisa Tarullo, project director; Sally Atkins-Burnett, principal investigator; and Shannon Monahan, survey director. Amy Madigan served as the OPRE project officer.

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