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Proxy-reported sensory measures for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders: A systematic review
Nicolette Soler1,2, Reinie Cordier3,4, Iain E Perkes1,5,6
1School of Health Sciences, University of Newcastle, Newcastle, NSW, Australia.
Insights
The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire-Home (PSEQ-H) is the only sensory measure with moderate content validity and high-to-moderate psychometric properties for neurodevelopmental disorders. Consumer involvement is crucial for developing reliable sensory assessment tools.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Psychometrics
Background:
- Proxy-reported sensory measures are vital for assessing children with neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) like autism spectrum disorder and ADHD.
- Evaluating the quality and utility of these measures is crucial for evidence-informed clinical practice.
Approach:
- A systematic literature search identified 12 proxy-reported sensory measures for NDDs.
- The Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) Risk of Bias checklist and good measurement properties criteria were applied.
- Findings were synthesized using a COSMIN adaptation of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations.
Key Points:
- Only three of the 12 measures provided sufficient data for evaluating content validity and psychometric properties.
- The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire-Home (PSEQ-H) was the sole measure meeting moderate content validity and moderate-to-high quality for psychometric properties.
- PSEQ-H demonstrated structural validity, construct validity, internal consistency, reliability, and low measurement error.
Conclusions:
- The PSEQ-H is a high-quality, psychometrically sound sensory measure for children with NDDs.
- Consumer involvement in measure development significantly enhances content validity.
- Ongoing evaluation of sensory measures against current standards is recommended to ensure clinical utility.
Aim:
To determine the quality and utility of proxy-reported sensory measures for children and adolescents with neurodevelopmental disorders (such as autism spectrum disorder, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, movement disorders, and intellectual disability).
Method:
We systematically searched 11 databases. We applied the updated Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement INstruments (COSMIN) Risk of Bias checklist and criteria for good measurement properties to evaluate instrument development and psychometric properties. Findings were summarized using a COSMIN adaptation of Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations.
Results:
From 11 databases, 6748 articles were screened. Ninety-one full-length articles were reviewed after removing excluded studies and manual searches conducted by two reviewers. Data were extracted for 12 measures from 20 articles. Of the 12 measures, only three provided sufficient data to evaluate content validity and psychometric measurement properties. The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire-Home (PSEQ-H) was the only measure that satisfied moderate content validity and moderate-to-high quality for measurement properties. These properties included: structural validity, hypothesis testing for construct validity, internal consistency, reliability, and measurement error.
Interpretation:
One measure, the PSEQ-H, met eight criteria for good measurement properties. To facilitate evidence-informed clinical decision-making, all psychometric properties of all 12 sensory-based, proxy-reported measures were presented. The importance of consumer engagement in measure development and the need for ongoing evaluation of measures against contemporaneous standards is recommended.
What This Paper Adds:
Three measures provided studies on content validity and psychometric measurement properties. The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire-Home had moderate quality for content validity studies and high-to-moderate quality evidence for psychometric properties. The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire was the only measure that included consumer involvement through qualitative interviews and pilot testing. Consumer involvement in measure development is important for content validity. Ongoing evaluation of measures against contemporaneous standards is recommended.
