Assessment of pragmatic language in Turkish-speaking children: Development and psychometric evaluation of the PLSAS...

The scarcity of locally developed assessment tools for understudied languages remains a significant issue in research on language disorders. This study aimed to examine the validity and reliability of the Pragmatic Language Skills Assessment Scale (PLSAS), developed to assess pragmatic language skills in Turkish-speaking preschool children aged 36-72 months. PLSAS, represents the first original pragmatic language assessment tool specifically designed for this population and seeks to address an important gap in the literature. Data were collected face-to-face from 121 preschool teachers in Turkey regarding 519 children enrolled in preschool education. Separate subsamples were formed to examine criterion validity, discriminant validity, and test-retest reliability. Criterion validity was assessed using the Social Communication Skills Checklist. Structural validity was evaluated through Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). EFA revealed a three-factor structure (Communicative Intentions, Discourse Management Skills, and Context) comprising 23 items and explaining 69.49% of the total variance. CFA findings indicated good model fit. Internal consistency coefficients demonstrated excellent reliability (Cronbach's α = .96; McDonald's ω = .96). Test-retest results supported temporal stability. Criterion validity analysis showed a strong positive correlation with the Social Communication Skills Checklist (r = .717, p < .001). Furthermore, discriminant validity analysis indicated that the scale significantly differentiated between typically developing children and children with developmental disabilities (ASD and intellectual disability) (t = 17.508, p < .001). PLSAS is a valid, reliable, and sensitive instrument for assessing pragmatic language skills in Turkish preschool children.