Title | Validity of the Communication Function Classification System for use with preschool children with communication disorders. |
Publication Type | Journal Article |
Year of Publication | 2017 |
Authors | Hidecker MJo Cooley, Cunningham BJane, Thomas-Stonell N, Oddson B, Rosenbaum P |
Journal | Dev Med Child Neurol |
Volume | 59 |
Issue | 5 |
Pagination | 526-530 |
Date Published | 2017 05 |
ISSN | 1469-8749 |
Keywords | Child, Preschool, Cohort Studies, Developmental Disabilities, Female, Humans, Infant, Language Development Disorders, Language Tests, Male, Outcome Assessment, Health Care, Predictive Value of Tests, Reproducibility of Results, Severity of Illness Index, Speech Disorders |
Abstract | AIM: To evaluate construct and predictive validity of the Communication Function Classification System (CFCS) for use with preschool children with a range of speech and language disorders. METHOD: Seventy-seven preschool children with speech and language disorders (50 males, 27 females; mean 2y 7mo, standard deviation [SD] 1y) participated in this cohort study. Preschool children had speech and language, language-only, or speech-only disorders. Together with parent input, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) completed the CFCS at time 1. Parents and SLPs then independently completed a validated change-detecting functional communication outcome measure, the Focus on the outcomes of Communication Under Six (FOCUS), three times: at assessment (time 1), at the start of treatment (time 2), and at the end of treatment (time 3). RESULTS: There was a significant negative correlation between CFCS classifications and FOCUS scores at all three measurement points for the ratings by both parents and SLPs (correlations ranged from -0.60 to -0.76). As expected, no correlations between CFCS classifications and FOCUS change scores were statistically significant. INTERPRETATION: This study provides evidence of construct and predictive validity of the CFCS, demonstrating its value as a discriminative tool for use with preschool children with a range of speech and language disorders. |
DOI | 10.1111/dmcn.13373 |
Alternate Journal | Dev Med Child Neurol |
PubMed ID | 28084630 |
Grant List | 86573 / / CIHR / Canada 86884 / / CIHR / Canada |