Abstract
Aims
To evaluate the validity and reliability of the Structured Preschool Participation Observation (SPO), based on the COnsensus-based-Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments. The SPO development was based on biopsychosocial and ecological models to evaluate children's participation in play, learning and social occupational areas.
Methods
Following the establishment of content validity, construct validity using factor analysis and reliability were examined among 250 preschool children with typical development (TD). The known-groups procedure was used, comparing 88 children with developmental disabilities (DD), who attended special educational settings with the TD children.
Results
Three factors accounted for 68% of the variance. High internal consistency (alpha>.812) was found, as well as a significant moderate-to-high inter-rater reliability in most areas. Children with TD scored significantly higher than children with DD with small to large effect sizes.
Conclusions
The SPO appears to be a suitable measure for assessing children's participation in preschool activities through structured observation. Further studies are needed to further establish its psychometric properties, along with using additional scales of enjoyment and/or involvement and self-care activities. The SPO may assist in generating intervention goals for children with limitations in participation and may complement information gathered from parents.
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to the researchers and occupational therapists who assisted in this study, as well as to our partners in the community and the children.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Additional information
Funding
Notes on contributors
Anat Golos
Anat Golos, PhD, OTR, is a Head of Environment and Participation in Community Laboratory; Head of Undergraduate Studies and Deputy Chair of School of Occupational Therapy, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.
Naomi Weintraub
Naomi Weintraub, Prof, OTR, is a Head of the Neuro-Developmental Disabilities and Writing Research Laboratory, the School of Occupational Therapy, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, Israel.