Validity and Reliability of the School Function Assessment in Elementary School Students with Disabilities

Abstract

This study examined validity of the School Function Assessment (SFA) and interrater reliability of occupational therapist and teacher ratings of students' school function. The validity of the SFA was examined using the known-group method in 35 participants in kindergarten through 7th grade attending elementary schools; 15 students with learning disabilities (LD), 11 students with autism, and 9 students with traumatic brain injury (TBI). The SFA criterion scores for the 23 individual scales were clustered into five distinct parts for the validity analyses. Significant differences in SFA scores among the 3 groups of students were found using Kruskal-Wallis analyses (χ² ranged from 9.28 to 20.55, p< .01). Two discriminant analyses demonstrated high correct classification of students with autism and LD, but showed less accurate classification of students with TBI, indicating that the SFA scores of students with TBI did not fall into a systematic pattern for classification. For the interrater reliability study, 16 students' ratings by their teacher and occupational therapist were analyzed. Intraclass correlations resulted in moderate relationships between teacher and occupational therapist ratings for the average criterion scores for the three main sections of the SFA: participation, .70; task supports, .68; and activity performance, .73. Results of this study are discussed in terms of validity of score interpretation and the reliability of different team members completing the SFA questionnaire.

Key Words:

• Validity
• reliability
• school function
• autism
• traumatic brain injury
• learning disabilities

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Patricia L. Davies

Michael Lepp, PT, is in private practice, Associate Instructor of the Upledger Institute, and Clinical Instructor, Case Western Reserve University School of Dentistry, Cleveland, OH.

Marie McKenzie, MS, OTR, is in private practice. She was Coordinator of Occupational Therapy at Scottish Rite Hospital at the time of this study.

Heather Miller, MS, OTR/L, is currently employed by Madison County Educational Service Center, providing therapy services to the county's pre-schools. This research was completed in partial fulfillment of the requirements of an MS degree at Ohio State University.

Linda Viscardis, BA, is Team Leader and Community Development Worker, Peterborough Family Enrichment Centre. She is Co-Founder of P.R.O.S.P.E.C.T.S., a support and advocacy group for families who have children with special needs.

Debra Stewart, BSc, OT(C), is Occupational Therapist, Erinoak, Serving Young People with Physical Disabilities, Mississauga, ON, and Clinical Lecturer, School of Rehabilitation Science, McMaster University.

Janette McDougall, MA, was Project Coordinator

Kip Husted, BEd, was a parent representative on the study team.

Aviva Yochman, MA, OTR, was a student in the School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Medicine, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel at the time of this study.

Imelda Burgman, MA OTR/L BCP, completed her MA in Movement Sciences at Teachers College, Columbia University, and was an Occupational Therapist at The Shield Institute, Bronx, NY. She is currently Lecturer, Habilitation, School of Community Health, Faculty of Health Studies, Charles Sturt University, Albury, N.S.W., Australia.

Barbara J. Steva, OTWL, BCP, is Occupational Therapist, University of New England Community Occupational Therapy Clinic, Saco, ME. She was Director of Occupational Therapy and Therapeutic Recreation, Franciscan Children's Hospital and Rehabilitation Center, Boston, MA, when this work was completed.