title: Validity of the Communication Function Classification System for use with preschool children with communication disorders.
abstract: 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.
  
  
  
  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).
  
  
  
  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.
  
  
  
  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.
authors.affiliation: Division of Communication Disorders, Health Science Center, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY, USA.
authors.forename: Mary Jo Cooley
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hidecker
authors.affiliation: CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Barbara Jane
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-2032-4999
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Cunningham
authors.affiliation: Graduate Department of Speech-Language Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Thomas-Stonell
authors.affiliation: School of Human Kinetics, Laurentian University, Sudbury, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oddson
authors.affiliation: CanChild Centre for Childhood Disability Research, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rosenbaum
mesh_terms: D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007805:Language Development Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007807:Language Tests; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013064:Speech Disorders / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis*