Neonatal assessment procedures: a historical review.

A historical review of neonatal assessment procedures is presented to demonstrate the trends in advancement of the field and attempts toward collaboration of medicine and psychology in contributions to the area. The literature suggests that the medically oriented neurological examinations have continued to be altered and improved. The growth of behaviorism within psychology and the view that behavior is closely related to underlying neurological mechanisms have contributed to the development of behaviorally oriented assessment procedures. These trends have combined successfully in the development of the Brazelton Neonatal Assessment Scale, which focuses on assessment of behavioral capabilities reflecting the quality of parent-infant relationships. The most recent contributions are directed toward development of specialized assessment techniques to fulfill specific research needs. Suggestions and cautions for use of available procedures are presented.