Development and Validation of an International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health-Based...

This study aimed to develop and validate the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF)-based Communication Screening Scale (CSS) for monolingual Turkish-speaking preschool children, grounded in the ICF framework and based on parent report.

The item pool was generated from 54 ICF second-level codes, reviewed by experts, and refined through content validity analysis and a pilot study. The final 41-item draft was administered to 210 children (105 with speech and/or language disorders, 105 typically developing peers) 36-72 months of age and one of their parents. For validation, the Turkish Early Language Development Test, the Ankara Articulation Test (AAT), and the Turkish version of the Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six-34 (FOCUS-34-TR) were used.

Factor analysis yielded a 23-item scale with four subfactors: language skills, communication, speech intelligibility, and attention. Known-groups validity demonstrated that the scale significantly differentiated children with and without disorders, except for the attention factor. Strong negative correlations with FOCUS-34-TR confirmed criterion validity. Reliability coefficients ranged from .73 to .93, indicating acceptable to high internal consistency.

The CSS is a valid and reliable screening tool specifically designed for the early identification of monolingual Turkish-speaking preschool children at risk for communication, speech, and language disorders. Its parent report format and ICF-based framework support its feasibility in educational and clinical contexts. Future research should examine its integration into national preschool screening programs and its adaptation and validation for bilingual populations and other linguistic contexts.

https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.33684349.