14 Obtaining Reliable Psychophysiological Data with Child Participants Methodological Considerations

Developmental psychophysiological research is a relatively young field that is rapidly expanding partly because sophisticated, cost-effective technology now allows researchers to collect physiological data much more efficiently and effectively. This volume of developmental psychophysiology reflects both the newness, as well as the growth of the field. As alluded to by many of the authors included in this volume, researchers collecting valid psychophysiological data in children face challenges that are magnified when compared to the collection of these same data in adults. However, developmental psychophysiologists are not alone in addressing these challenges as we can readily draw upon the experiences from specialists working in other related fields. The fields of psychology and education have also contributed to our general knowledge about effective methods of assessing children. Notably, the number of texts written on behavioral and neuropsychological assessment of children is plentiful, and we can apply this knowledge to assessment of psychophysiological information as well. For example, the recent editions of assessment of children (Sattler 2001, 2002) comprehensively discuss skills necessary for test administrators to have in order to successfully assess children. Some of these skills include effective listening, building rapport with the child, and how to handle difficult behaviors and individual temperaments. A researcher who develops these assessment skills discussed by psychologists, neuropsychologists, and education professionals, along with the technical skills necessary for obtaining the desired pyschophysiological measurements will be much more successful in obtaining reliable and valid research data. The purpose of this chapter was to highlight some of the important assessment skills advocated by specialists in related fields while bringing