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Construct validity of the FOCUS© ( Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six): a communicative participation outcome measure for preschool children.
- Source :
- Child: Care, Health & Development; Jul2013, Vol. 39 Issue 4, p481-489, 9p, 3 Charts
- Publication Year :
- 2013
-
Abstract
- Objective The aim of this study was to establish the construct validity of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six ( FOCUS <superscript>©</superscript>). This measure is reflective of concepts in the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health - Children and Youth framework. It was developed to capture 'real-world' changes (e.g. communicative participation) in preschoolers' communication following speech-language intervention. Method A pre-post design was used. Fifty-two parents of 3- to 6-year-old preschoolers attending speech-language therapy were included as participants. Speech-language therapists provided individual and/or group intervention to preschoolers. Intervention targeted: articulation/phonology, voice/resonance, expressive/receptive language, play, and use of augmentative devices. Construct validity for communicative participation was assessed using pre-intervention and post-intervention parent interviews using the FOCUS <superscript>©</superscript> and the communication and socialization domains of the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales- II ( VABS-II). Results Significant associations were found between the FOCUS <superscript>©</superscript>, measuring communicative participation, and the VABS-II domains for: (i) pre-intervention scores in communication ( r = 0.53, P < 0.001; 95% CI 0.30-0.70) and socialization ( r = 0.67, P < 0.001; 95% CI 0.48-0.80); (ii) change scores over-time in communication ( r = 0.45, P < 0.001; 95% CI 0.201-0.65) and socialization ( r = 0.39, P = 0.002; 95% CI 0.13-0.60); and (iii) scores at post-intervention for communication ( r = 0.53, P < 0.001; 95% CI 0.30-0.70) and for socialization ( r = 0.37, P = 0.003; 95% CI 0.11-0.50). Conclusions The study provided evidence on construct validity of the FOCUS <superscript>©</superscript> for evaluating real-world changes in communication. We believe that the FOCUS <superscript>©</superscript> is a useful measure of communicative participation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Subjects :
- TREATMENT of communicative disorders
COMMUNICATIVE competence
CONFIDENCE intervals
INTERVIEWING
RESEARCH methodology
PARENTS
RESEARCH funding
SOCIALIZATION
SPEECH therapists
SPEECH therapy
PRE-tests & post-tests
MULTITRAIT multimethod techniques
RESEARCH methodology evaluation
DATA analysis software
FUNCTIONAL assessment
DESCRIPTIVE statistics
CHILDREN
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 03051862
- Volume :
- 39
- Issue :
- 4
- Database :
- Complementary Index
- Journal :
- Child: Care, Health & Development
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 88155781
- Full Text :
- https://doi.org/10.1111/cch.12043