{"id":293,"date":"2022-11-11T23:35:18","date_gmt":"2022-11-11T23:35:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains\/early-childhood-voices-conference-2022\/?page_id=293"},"modified":"2022-12-01T08:46:00","modified_gmt":"2022-12-01T08:46:00","slug":"ecv2022-276","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/earlychildhoodresearch.csu.domains\/early-childhood-voices-conference-2022\/ecv2022-276\/","title":{"rendered":"276 – Assessing the validity of FOCUS-\u00cdS: A parent report questionnaire of functional communication development of 4-year-old children"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Presentation - ECV2022-276<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Assessing the validity of FOCUS-\u00cdS: A parent report questionnaire of functional communication development of 4-year-old children<\/strong><\/h1>\n

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\u00d6sp Vilberg Baldursd\u00f3ttir<\/strong>, University of Iceland, Iceland (ovb2@hi.is<\/a>)
Thora M\u00e1sd\u00f3ttir<\/strong>, University of Iceland, Iceland (tm@hi.is<\/a>)
Kathryn Crowe<\/strong>, University of Iceland, Iceland; Charles Sturt University, Australia (kcrowe@csu.edu.au<\/a>)
Karla N. Washington<\/strong>, University of Toronto, Canada (karla.washington@utoronto.ca<\/a>)<\/p>\n

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Background<\/strong>: There are a shortage of assessment tools that can be used to evaluate the pragmatic skills of Icelandic-speaking children. Standardised tests of language skills provide limited information about a child\u2019s communicative behaviour in real-life situations. Consequently, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) in Iceland do not have the necessary tools to evaluate one of the three major domains of language: language use. This study describes the evaluation of the Focus on Communication in Children under Six (FOCUS) in Icelandic (FOCUS-\u00cdS) as a tool to meet this need. The FOCUS items are aligned with the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health for Children and Youth (ICF-CY).<\/p>\n\n

Aim<\/strong>: To examine the reliability and validity of FOCUS-\u00cdS for Icelandic children aged 4;0-4;11.<\/p>\n\n

Method<\/strong>: Information about children\u2019s language skills was collected from parent-completed questionnaires (n<\/em> = 120; FOCUS-\u00cdS, Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire [SDQ], Intelligibility in Context Scale [ICS], and Children\u2019s Communication Checklist-2 [CCC-2]) and a standardised language assessment M\u00e1lf\u00e6rni eldri leiksk\u00f3labarna [MELB] was administered to children (n<\/em> = 64). Relationship between the FOCUS-\u00cdS total score and subtest scores and other tests\/questionnaires was computed.<\/p>\n\n

Results<\/strong>: The FOCUS-\u00cdS had high internal reliability (total and subtest scores). There was good correlation between the two FOCUS-\u00cdS subscales (Body Structure, Activities and Participation) and the CCC-2, SDQ, ICS, and MELB showing construct validity. A strong correlation between MELB and FOCUS-\u00cdS showed convergent validity.<\/p>\n\n

Conclusions<\/strong>: The FOCUS-\u00cdS shows high internal reliability, evidence of construct validity and convergent validity for FOCUS-\u00cdS total and profile scores. FOCUS-\u00cdS is a reliable tool with strong psychometric properties for children aged 4;0-4;11. Further investigation of FOCUS-\u00cdS is needed for a broader range of ages.<\/p>\n\n

Implications for children and families<\/strong>: Children can demonstrate different communication behaviour, depending on the setting. Valid and reliable parent-report questionnaires give information about communication behaviour in a range of settings and allows for evaluation of language use in real-life situations.<\/p>\n\n

Implications for practitioners<\/strong>: The FOCUS-\u00cdS is a reliable tool for Icelandic SLPs to use for examining functional communication behaviour of children aged 4;0-4;11. Examining the validity and reliability of translated assessments is essential to ensuring the provision of high-quality and evidence-based services.<\/p>\n\n

Key words<\/strong>: Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS), functional outcome, parent-report, communication, ICF-CY, communicative participation<\/p>\n\n

This presentation relates to the following <\/strong>United Nations Sustainable Development Goals<\/strong><\/a>:<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n\n