The development and validity of the Early Learning Tool for children 0–3-year-old in rural Pakistan

Background Research has demonstrated the critical role that early learning experiences play in shaping children’s cognitive, social, and emotional development. Nevertheless, tools for assessing children’s exposure to early learning experiences remain scarce. This paper describes the initial validation of the Early Learning (EL) tool, which captures the levels of stimulation with playthings and people available to children 0–3-year-old in low-resource, international settings. Methods We randomly sampled 200 mothers of children under 3-year-old in rural Sindh, Pakistan. We collected data on sociodemographic information, early learning, responsive caregiving, and child development. Psychometric analyses assessing the structural validity with confirmatory factor analysis and item response theory, criterion validity with Pearson correlation coefficients, and predictive validity with Ordinary Least Squares linear regression were conducted. Findings We found that the EL tool is valid in this setting, capturing two factors of early learning: stimulation with playthings and stimulation with people. Stimulation with playthings and people were strongly and positively correlated with responsive caregiving, maternal education, and wealth, indicating criterion validity. Stimulation with playthings and people were also strongly associated with child development, measured by the Bayleys Scales of Infant Development. Conclusions The EL tool is a promising instrument for measuring early learning in low- and middle-income countries, and its use can lead to more effective and inclusive monitoring and development of early learning initiatives.