Infant and early childhood mental health professionals’ attitudes toward a system of professional endorsement: A quantitative examination of personal factors, professional support, and perceived benefits

Abstract Demand for recognition of the specialized knowledge and skills required of Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) practitioners, researchers, and policymakers resulted in the establishment of standardized professional credentials that document this expertise. However, to date, research on the influences and impacts of an Infant or Early Childhood Mental Health Endorsement on IECMH professionals is scarce. This descriptive, cross‐sectional study aims to fill this gap by reporting quantitative findings from a voluntary online survey, the Perceptions of Endorsement Survey ( PES ), completed by a diverse group of 911 Endorsed professionals across the United States and Australia. The study by a U.S. research team explores how personal factors, professional supports, and perceived benefits influence the likelihood of continuing to participate in the Endorsement system and of recommending it to others ( Attitudes towards Endorsement ). Regression analyses revealed three factors that were significant predictors of positive Attitudes towards Endorsement : Confidence and Motivation, Endorsement‐related Social Influences , and perceived Opportunities . Moreover, the combination of Endorsement‐related Social Influences and Opportunities significantly and uniquely predicted positive Attitudes towards Endorsement above what these factors predicted individually. Discussion focuses on how individual‐level demographic characteristics, occupational‐level factors, social factors, and perceived benefits relate to Attitudes towards Endorsement .