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Individual and team consensus ratings of child functioning
D B Bailey1, V Buysse, R J Simeonsson
1Frank Porter Graham Child Development Center, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill 27599.
Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology
|March 1, 1995
Summary
Interdisciplinary teams showed strong agreement when rating children's functional abilities using the ABILITIES index. Disagreements were more common in behavior, communication, and with more severe disabilities.
Area of Science:
- Child Development
- Rehabilitation Medicine
- Disability Studies
Background:
- Interdisciplinary team assessments are crucial for evaluating children with disabilities.
- Standardized tools are needed to ensure reliable functional ability ratings.
- Understanding team dynamics in assessment is vital for effective intervention planning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the agreement among interdisciplinary professionals rating functional abilities in children with disabilities.
- To identify factors influencing agreement and disagreement in team ratings.
- To explore the impact of consensus ratings on individual assessments.
Main Methods:
- 129 children with disabilities were rated using the ABILITIES index.
- 72 professionals from nine developmental evaluation centers participated.
- Independent ratings were followed by team consensus ratings.
Main Results:
- High agreement (nearly 90%) was observed in independent ratings of abilities and limitations.
- Disagreement was higher for behavior, communication, team experience, and disability severity.
- Consensus ratings tended to favor expert opinions in specific domains.
Conclusions:
- Interdisciplinary teams demonstrate significant reliability in assessing functional abilities.
- Behavioral and communication assessments, along with disability severity, present challenges for team consensus.
- Findings inform best practices for team functioning and assessment in developmental evaluations.