Attitudes of children toward an unfamiliar peer using an AAC device with and without voice output

Abstract

This study describes the development of the Communication Aid/Device Attitudinal Questionnaire (CADAQ), which was used to measure children's attitudes toward an unfamiliar peer using an AAC device. One hundred and fifteen children, aged 11 to 13 years, viewed a videotape of a 13-year-old boy with cerebral palsy and no functional speech as he communicated with and without voice output. Attitudes were measured according to three factors: affective/behavioral, cognitive/belief, and communicative competence. An item analysis demonstrated good internal consistency of the CADAQ. The results showed that children's attitudes were more favorable when the focus child communicated with voice output and, overall, girls' attitudes toward the focus child were more positive than boys' attitudes.

• attitudes
• augmentative and alternative communication (AAC)
• communication
• interaction
• peers
• voice output