Rating scale use by children with disabilities on a self-report of everyday activities.
Kramer JM, Smith EV Jr, Kielhofner G. Rating scale use by children with disabilities on a self-report of everyday activities.


OBJECTIVE
To examine whether children with disabilities interpret a self-report of perceived competence and importance of everyday activities in a consistent manner and use the rating scales as intended. If not, are differences in how children interpret the scale associated with personal or contextual variables?


METHODS
Assessment and rating scale development using the Mixed Rasch Model.


METHODS
Rehabilitation clinics, schools, and research sites in the United States and Europe.


METHODS
Children (N=407) aged 6 to 17 years; all had a diagnosed disability or received occupational therapy services.


METHODS
Not applicable.


METHODS
The Child Occupational Self Assessment; 25 items representing everyday activities and two 4-point scales: competence and importance.


RESULTS
For each scale, 2 groups of children were identified. Approximately 50% of the children used the rating scales as intended. The remainder used the scales as reversed 2-point scales; these children were younger and more likely to have an intellectual disability. Country and practice setting were also associated with rating scale use. All items but 1 had acceptable fit to the Rasch model, and groups of children differed in the relative competence and importance reported.


CONCLUSIONS
Personal and contextual variables are associated with children with disabilities' use of self-report rating scales. Younger children and children with intellectual disabilities use a modified response pattern.
Kramer
Jessica M
JM
Department of Occupational Therapy, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA. kramerj@bu.edu
Smith
Everett V
EV
Kielhofner
Gary
G
D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D019988:Children with Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009788:Occupational Therapy; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology