Clinics in Developmental Medicine No. 190
- Fourth edition of the most comprehensive examination of newborn
behavior available
- Well established and used globally as a research instrument and in
clinical practice
- Case studies from a range of disciplines and settings enrich this
edition
- New administration guidelines and refined scoring criteria for
researchers and clinicians
The Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) is the most
comprehensive examination of newborn behaviour available today and has
been used in clinical and research settings around the world for more
than 35 years. The scale assesses the newborn's behavioral repertoire
with 28 behavioral items and also includes an assessment of the infant's
neurological status on 20 items. The NBAS items cover the following
domains of neonatal functioning: autonomic regulation; motor
organization; state organization and regulation and attention/social
interaction.
The first part of this new edition book describes in detail the
procedures involved in administering and scoring the NBAS. This is
followed by chapters setting the assessment in the context of
psychological influences around birth, the relationship between the
examiner, infant and parents, and what we know about newborn motor
behaviour. After a chapter on the use of the NBAS in research settings,
the final part comprises descriptions by professionals around the world
of its use in clinical practice.
Since the time it was first published, the NBAS has been used in
hundreds of studies to examine the effects of a wide range of pre- and
perinatal variables. This new edition therefore contains an updated
review of research using the NBAS. Because the NBAS is being used
increasingly as a way of promoting a positive relationship between
parent and child, the new edition also includes new guidelines for
clinicians. New guidelines and numerous refinements in the
administration and scoring have now been added, and a section describing
advances in our understanding of motor behaviour has been added.
Finally, new chapters present the uses of the NBAS in a range of
contexts around the world, highlighting the wide range of research and
clinical applications of the NBAS.
**Readership:
**Paediatricians, neonatologists, all those involved in the examination
of the newborn infant including, for example, nurses, psychologists,
infancy specialists, lactation consultants, home visitors, occupational
therapists, physical therapists, early intervention specialists, social
workers and other allied health professionals (all of whom attend NBAS
training courses)