The Development, Content Validation, and Clinical Utility of Mealtime Screening for Schools (MEALSS).

Background: This study aimed to determine the initial content validity and clinical utility of Mealtime Screening for School (MEALSS), a new screening tool that measures mealtime participation in students with intellectual and developmental disabilities 5 to 10 years of age. Methods: To determine the content validity of MEALSS, the researchers recruited five participants identified as pediatric occupational therapists and/or feeding experts to review the MEALSS. Item level content validity index (I-CVI) and scale level validity (S-CVI) were calculated, as well as modified kappa indices to reduce the probability of chance agreement. MEALSS was then revised based on feedback from the content experts. To determine the clinical utility of MEALSS, 20 school-based occupational therapists were recruited to assess the clinical usage of the revised version of the tool. The responses were thematized and analyzed. Results: Content experts rated 17 out of the 18 MEALSS items essential in assessing mealtime participation in the school setting. The majority of the clinician participants indicated a favorable response to the clinical utility of the tool, ease of use, and accuracy in identifying and measuring mealtime challenges in the school setting. Conclusion: The study provided useful perspectives on how the tool can be further improved to measure mealtime participation in school-aged children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]