| Summary: | The quality of affective relations within families and the peer group can influence psychological development in childhood and is implicated in the aetiology of childhood psychiatric disorders. Instruments currently available to assess children's emotional environment do so from an adult perspective and assess the environment shared by the child with siblings and peers rather than specifically focusing on the child's non-shared experiences. The aim of this research was to determine whether an instrument that assesses children's perceptions of their affective relations with other members of the family and peer group is feasible, is acceptable to them, valid and reliable. The literature is reviewed and an existing instrument that assesses the child's perception of family relations is re-examined. These findings informed the design of an innovative instrument to assess the child's report of the affective content of parallel dyadic relations, encompassing up to 20 emotions in five age groups from 3 and 15 years of age. Three types of phrasing were compared each designed to elicit categorical responses. A pilot study resulted in minor changes to a test-retest design to assess the reliability of these items. 97 children from a Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service participated in the subsequent main study, which found that children of 7 years and older were able to concentrate on the task, and found it acceptable. A form of phrasing that focused on each dyad sequentially was the most reliable the percentage agreement ranged 77-81% across three age groups, between 7-15 years. Future developments of the test are described, and include the use of a scale, its standardisation, assessment of desired as well as perceived affective relations, and its computerisation. Its place in clinical practice and research may include discriminating between populations, prediction of risk, outcome and preventive studies.
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