Vera Coelho

Identification of functional domains in developmental measures: An ICF-CY analysis of Griffiths developmental scales and Schedule of Growing Skills II

Abstract Objective: This study aims to identify functioning categories of the International Classification of Functionality, Disability and Health for Children and Youth covered by the Griffiths developmental scales and the Schedule of Growing Skills II (SGS-II), as well as to analyse levels of agreement between coders when assigning its items to the ICF-CY classification system. Methods: Items were linked to the ICF-CY following a content analysis procedure and the published linking rules. Agreement was calculated with Cohen’s Kappa Coefficient. Results: All SGS items assess mostly Activities and Participation, alike most of the Griffiths’ scales except for the Language and Eye-hand coordination scales, which assess mostly Body Functions. Consistently with previous studies, agreement levels between coders vary considerably, thus being highly dependent on the nature of the concept analysed. Conclusion: Although necessary from a capacity-driven approach to assessment, information collected with these instruments should be complemented with other assessments in order to cover all aspects of the child’s life, in line with a systemic approach.

The quality of caregiver–child interactions in infant classrooms in Portugal: the role of caregiver education

Abstract Recent research has shown that caregiver education and training can be important in determining levels of quality in early childhood, but has mainly considered the education and training of the lead teacher. In infant child care, however, classrooms have more than one caregiver with varying levels of education and in Portugal it is less common to have a qualified teacher exclusively assigned to infant classrooms. This study examines the quality of caregiver–child interactions in infant classrooms and its association with caregiver qualifications and training, specifically the level of pre-service education and in-service training of the lead caregiver, whether she is exclusively assigned to an infant classroom or to more classrooms, and the pre-service education of the multiple caregivers in the classroom. Participants were 90 infant classrooms from Porto, Portugal. The CLASS–Infant was used to measure quality of caregiver–infant interactions. Classrooms with one lead caregiver holding at least a bachelor’s degree, whether exclusively assigned to the infant classroom or not, showed higher levels of quality. Few effects were found for in-service training. Results suggest that lead teachers with pre-service education in early childhood are likely to play an important role not only directly by interacting with children but also indirectly through team work.

The Relationship between Children’s Developmental Functioning and Participation in Social Activities in Portuguese Inclusive Preschool Settings

In Portugal, substantial changes occurred in early childhood intervention and special education with the Decree-Law 3/2008. This legislation stresses the importance of a multidimensional approach to assessment-intervention processes, setting the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health (ICF) as a critical tool in determining children’s functioning and participation. To establish criteria for eligibility and defining the standard for developing assessment-intervention procedures in accordance with the ICF model, became topics of great relevance for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers. Assuming that young children develop through proximal processes, such as playing and interacting with adults/peers/materials, their participation in everyday environments becomes a crucial outcome regarding learning and development, as highlighted by the ICF conceptual model. Children’s participation can be defined as encompassing two dimensions: frequency of activities attended by children, and their level of engagement. This observational study analyzes engagement and time spent in activities with different levels of social complexity, in children with heterogeneous developmental functioning (DF). By focusing on different levels of DF we aim to explore how functionality measures based on ICF can be useful to characterize all children, thus ensuring an inclusive assessment. Participants were 247 preschool-aged children: 54 with disabilities (low DF), 78 at-risk (medium-low DF); 115 with typical development (high DF). DF was assessed by a short-version of the Matrix for Assessment of Activities and Participation. Engagement and time in activities were observed with the Child Observation in Preschool. Analyses of Variance were conducted to explore differences between the three groups of children. The three DF groups differed significantly on the proportion of time spent in activities with different levels of social complexity. Children with disabilities spent less time in cooperative and social play (activities with higher social complexity) and their levels of engagement were significantly lower than the other groups, both for more and less complex activities. Discussion focuses on assessment demands posed by legislation and the ICF model, highlights the need to ensure all children’s participation in different everyday activities, and underlines the role of environmental adjustments for children with disabilities and at risk to guarantee their right to fully participate in inclusive settings.

Predictors of parent-teacher communication during infant transition to childcare in Portugal

ABSTRACT Although literature reports associations between parent-teacher communication and childcare quality, little is known about how such communications are related to family, child and childcare characteristics. This study examines whether child, family and childcare experience characteristics predict the level of parent-teacher communication, and differences between parents’ and teachers’ reports of communication. Participants were mothers of 90 infants and their teachers in childcare in Portugal. Results show that both parents and teachers report higher levels of communication in higher-quality programmes. Teachers reported more frequent communication than parents. Teachers, but not parents, reported more frequent communication when children spent fewer hours in childcare. Discussion highlights the relevance of monitoring the quality of childcare contexts, especially in early ages, and to increase parent-teacher communication when children spend more time in childcare. The importance of promoting high-quality childcare and accounting for variables at the mesosystemic level of development in teacher training are also discussed.

Beyond diagnosis: the relevance of social interactions for participation in inclusive preschool settings

ABSTRACT Purpose: This study aims to explore the role of three specific factors within the child–environment interaction process – engagement, independence and social interactions – in influencing development and learning of children with disabilities in inclusive preschool settings. The main question is whether children can be categorised in homogenous groups based on engagement, independence and social interactions (proximal variables within a biopsychosocial framework of human development). The study also examined whether children with the same diagnosis would group together or separately, when trying to identify clusters of engagement, independence and social interactions, and additionally whether such clusters vary as a function of individual child characteristics, and/or as a function of structural and process characteristics of preschool environment. Methods: Data was taken from an intervention study conducted in mainstream preschools in Portugal. A person-centered cluster analysis was conducted to explore group membership of children with various diagnoses, based on their engagement, independence and social interaction profiles. Results: Results show that children clustered based on similarity of engagement, independence and social interaction patterns, rather than on diagnosis. Besides, it was found that quality of peer interaction was the only predictor of cluster membership. Conclusion: These findings support the argument that participation profiles may be more informative for intervention purposes than diagnostic categories, and that preschool process quality, namely peer interaction, is crucial for children’s participation.

Transição para a creche e bem-estar emocional dos bebês em Portugal

The present study analyzes the relationship between the implementation of transition practices from home to day care center and the emotional wellbeing of the infants during the first month of attendance in this extrafamiliar environment. Data were collected, before and after the infant entered the day care center, with the mothers and teachers of 90 infants. The results indicated that the number of transition practices reported by teachers is positively associated with the emotional well-being of infants during the first month of day care attendance. These results recommend the implementation of a diversified set of transition practices, before and after entry into the day care center, to facilitate the infants’ adaptation to the new developmental setting.