Assessment of joint book reading: Development of an observational checklist

The aim of the current study was to describe the development and validation of the Assessment of Joint Book Reading checklist, designed to assess and support adult-child joint book reading strategies. The tool was originally intended for evaluation and professional advice in relation to a caregiver-led shared book reading intervention for speech-language pathology services.

The development followed a three-phase process based on a framework proposed by Stufflebeam (2000) for general checklist development. Phase 1 involved identifying the checklist task and its users, as well as reviewing relevant literature and existing checklists. Phase 2 focused on preparing a review version by deciding on the checklist content. Phase 3 included initial testing of the checklist's face validity, content validity, and reliability. During phases 2 and 3, adjustments were made, allowing the tool to undergo incremental modifications.

After iterative development, the Assessment of Joint Book Reading checklist comprising eight items, assessed using a 4-point rating scale, is presented.

Our study provides preliminary support that the checklist can be used for supporting and evaluating caregiver-child book reading in speech-language pathology services. The study findings provide preliminary evidence for the psychometric properties of the Assessment of Joint Book Reading checklist. To refine and finalise the checklist, we propose further evaluations.