Construct validity of the focus on the outcomes of communication under six (FOCUS) total and profile scores for multilingual preschoolers: Considering functional speech skills

Abstract

Purpose

To conduct an exploratory study to establish construct validity of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS) in the Jamaican context for FOCUS Total and Profile scores.

Method

Parents of a representative sample of 3-to-6-year-old Jamaican Creole (JC)-English-speaking simultaneous bilingual children completed the FOCUS in English, and the Intelligibility in Context Scale (ICS) in JC and in English. Children completed the Diagnostic Evaluation of Articulation and Phonology (DEAP) in both languages. Percent phonemes, consonants, and vowels correct were calculated using single word responses to DEAP items. Pearson correlations were completed to describe relationships between measurement scores.

Result

Convergent validity was found for FOCUS Total and ICS/JC scores. Convergent and divergent validity were found for specific FOCUS Profile scores and ICS/JC scores. Minimal evidence of convergent validity was found with FOCUS Total scores and transcription-based measures of speech production in JC and in English. Convergent and divergent validity were found between specific FOCUS Profile scores and some transcription-based measures of speech production in JC and in English.

Conclusion

This study provides evidence of construct validity for FOCUS Total and Profile scores. It also provides validity evidence for FOCUS scores in a multilingual context using a representative sample of children that serves to broaden the range of applicability of the FOCUS.

Keywords:

• FOCUS
• communicative participation
• functional speech
• multilingual preschoolers

Declaration of interest

The first author is the recipient of a NIH diversity supplement award (3R21DC018170-02S1) that funded this research, which was granted under the third author’s NIH R21 parent award (PI Washington, R21DC018170). The third author has contributed to the validation of the ICS and the FOCUS but has no relevant financial contributions. The second author is a scientist at CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research that sells the FOCUS. Due to the nature of this research, study participants did not agree for their data to be shared publicly, so supporting data are not available.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders through a diversity supplement that was awarded to the first author (3R21DC018170-02S1) under the third author's NIH R21 parent award (PI Washington, R21DC018170).