Kendra Liljenquist

Psychometric evaluation of the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth.

Aim  The aim of this study was to examine the psychometric properties (reliability and validity) of the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM‐CY).

School participation, supports and barriers of students with and without disabilities

BACKGROUND We compared school participation patterns of students ages 5-17 with and without disabilities and examined whether features of the school environment were perceived to help or hinder their participation. METHODS Parents (n = 576) residing in the USA and Canada completed the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY) via the internet. RESULTS Parents of students with disabilities reported that their children participated less frequently in school clubs and organizations and getting together with peers outside the classroom and that they were less involved in all school activities. Parents of students with disabilities also were significantly more likely to report that features of the environment hindered school participation and that resources needed to support their childs participation were not adequate. CONCLUSIONS Parents of students with disabilities report that their children are participating less in important school-related activities. Barriers limiting school participation include features of the physical and social environment as well as limited resources.

Strategies to address participant misrepresentation for eligibility in Web-based research.

Emerging methodological research suggests that the World Wide Web (“Web”) is an appropriate venue for survey data collection, and a promising area for delivering behavioral intervention. However, the use of the Web for research raises concerns regarding sample validity, particularly when the Web is used for recruitment and enrollment. The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges experienced in two different Web‐based studies in which participant misrepresentation threatened sample validity: a survey study and an online intervention study. The lessons learned from these experiences generated three types of strategies researchers can use to reduce the likelihood of participant misrepresentation for eligibility in Web‐based research. Examples of procedural/design strategies, technical/software strategies and data analytic strategies are provided along with the methodological strengths and limitations of specific strategies. The discussion includes a series of considerations to guide researchers in the selection of strategies that may be most appropriate given the aims, resources and target population of their studies. Copyright

Comparing the Functional Performance of Children and Youths With Autism, Developmental Disabilities, and No Disability Using the Revised Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory Item Banks

OBJECTIVE. We compared the functional performance of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), and without disabilities using the revised Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test (PEDI-CAT) Social/Cognitive, Daily Activities, and Responsibility domains. METHOD. A nationally representative sample of parents of children ages 0-21 without disabilities (n = 2,205), with ASD (n = 108), or with IDD (n = 150) completed an online survey. We obtained predicted PEDI-CAT scaled scores for three reference ages (5, 10, 15) from a modified analysis of covariance model and compared each groups scores using contrasts of the regression parameters. RESULTS. We found no significant differences between the ASD and IDD groups. The group with ASD demonstrated significantly lower performance than the group without disabilities across the three domains at ages 10 and 15. CONCLUSION. Scores on the PEDI-CAT differentiated the group with ASD from the group without disabilities. Children with ASD and IDD did not demonstrate different performance profiles.

Formative evaluation of project TEAM (Teens Making Environment and Activity Modifications).

Research documents the negative impact of physical and social environmental barriers on engagement in school, work, and the community for youth with intellectual and /or developmental disabilities (IDD). Project TEAM (Teens making Activity and Environment Modifications) was designed to teach youth to systematically identify environmental barriers, generate modification strategies, and request accommodations. This formative evaluation used a mixed methods expansion design to investigate outcomes, activities, and experiences. Trainees had a significant increase in knowledge of environmental factors and modification strategies but no changes in applied problem-solving. 76% attained at least one goal as measured through goal attainment scaling. Intervention activities ranged in quality. Trainees enjoyed the interactive and applied aspects of Project TEAM but found some concepts and materials difficult to understand. Lessons learned from this comprehensive evaluation can inform future revisions to Project TEAM and may be equally relevant for other researchers evaluating programs targeting transition-age youth with IDD.

Evaluating the appropriateness of a new computer-administered measure of adaptive function for children and youth with autism spectrum disorders

The Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test is an alternative method for describing the adaptive function of children and youth with disabilities using a computer-administered assessment. This study evaluated the performance of the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test with a national sample of children and youth with autism spectrum disorders aged 3–21 years. Parents (n = 365) completed an online survey that included demographics, the Social Communication Questionnaire, and the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test Social/Cognitive, Daily Activities, and Responsibility domains. Item response theory analysis confirmed items in each domain fit a unidimensional model and few items misfit. A large number of items in the Social/Cognitive domain showed differential item functioning, indicating a unique order of item difficulty in this population in this domain. Differences in item difficulty estimates were addressed through a parameter linking (equating) process. Simulations supported the accuracy and precision of the Computer Adaptive Test. Results suggest that the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory-Computer Adaptive Test, as modified for autism spectrum disorder, is an efficient and sound assessment for this population.

Association between impairment, function, and daily life task management in children and adolescents with autism

This cross‐sectional study examined whether impairments or functional skills are associated with the level of responsibility for life tasks for children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs).