Reliability of the Test of Integrated Language and Literacy Skills (TILLS).

BACKGROUND: As new standardized tests become commercially available, it is critical that clinicians have access to the information about a test's psychometric properties, including aspects of reliability. AIMS: The purpose of the three studies reported in this article was to investigate the reliability of a new test, the Test of Integrated Language and Literacy Skills (TILLS), with consideration of both internal and external sources of measurement error. METHODS & PROCEDURES: The TILLS was administered to children aged 6;0-18;11 years. The participants varied in terms of their language and literacy skills and included children with typical language development as well as those diagnosed with language or learning disability. The sample of children also varied in terms of their racial and socioeconomic backgrounds. Study 1 (N = 1056) assessed the internal consistency of TILLS calculating the coefficient omega for each subtest. Study 2 (N = 103) and Study 3 (N = 39) used the intra-class correlation coefficients to report on test-retest and inter-rater reliability respectively. OUTCOMES & RESULTS: The results indicate strong internal consistency and inter-rater reliability for all subtests of TILLS. The test-retest reliability was strong for all but one subtest, for which the intra-class correlation coefficient was in the acceptable range. CONCLUSION & IMPLICATIONS: This article provides clinicians with essential scientific information that supports the internal and external reliability of a new test of oral and written language skills, the TILLS. Information about reliability is critical for guiding the selection of an appropriate diagnostic tool amongst a number of options.

Factors Influencing Choices of Contextualized Versus Traditional Practices With Children and Adolescents Who Have Traumatic Brain Injury.

PURPOSE: This preliminary investigation examined speech-language pathologists' (SLPs') use of contextualized practices (i.e., functional, personally relevant, nonhierarchical, and collaborative) compared with traditional practices (i.e., clinical, generic, hierarchical, and expert driven) with school-age children and adolescents with traumatic brain injury (TBI). METHODS: An electronic survey asked SLPs about their use of clinical activities described as more or less contextualized. Research questions focused on frequency of using contextualized practices and factors associated with their use or nonuse. RESULTS: Seventy responses met criteria for analysis; 98% of these participants reported using at least 1 contextualized practice. Higher use of contextualized practices was associated with working in schools compared to health care settings, access to experts, and greater experience with TBI. Most frequently cited reasons for not using contextualized practices included not fitting the student and scheduling issues. CONCLUSIONS: Factors associated with using contextualized practices suggest that access to experts and experience with TBI are critical components for facilitating contextualized practice recommendations. Reasons for not using certain contextualized practices highlight the need to address scheduling issues and to increase education about practices that may best meet the unique needs of students with TBI.

Longitudinal follow-up of factors associated with food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorders.

The objective of this study was to examine food selectivity in children with autism spectrum disorders longitudinally. Additionally explored were the stability of the relationship between food selectivity and sensory over-responsivity from time 1 to time 2 and the association between food selectivity and restricted and repetitive behavior at time 2. A total of 52 parents of children with autism were surveyed approximately 20 months after completing an initial questionnaire. First and second surveys each contained identical parent-response item to categorize food selectivity level and a scale to measure sensory over-responsivity. A new scale to measure restricted and repetitive behaviors was added at time 2. Results comparing time 1 to time 2 indicated no change in food selectivity level and a stable, significant relationship between food selectivity and sensory over-responsivity. The measure of restrictive and repetitive behavior (time 2) was found to significantly predict membership in the severe food selectivity group. However, when sensory over-responsivity and both restricted and repetitive behaviors were included in the regression model, only sensory over-responsivity significantly predicted severe food selectivity. These results support conclusions about the chronicity of food selectivity in young children with autism and the consistent relationship between food selectivity and sensory over-responsivity.

Evidence-based systematic review: effects of different service delivery models on communication outcomes for elementary school-age children.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this investigation was to conduct an evidence-based systematic review (EBSR) of peer-reviewed articles from the last 30 years about the effect of different service delivery models on speech-language intervention outcomes for elementary school-age students. METHOD: A computer search of electronic databases was conducted to identify studies that addressed any of 16 research questions. Structured review procedures were used to select and evaluate data-based studies that used experimental designs of the following types: randomized clinical trial, nonrandomized comparison study, and single-subject design study. RESULTS: The EBSR revealed a total of 5 studies that met the review criteria and addressed questions of the effectiveness of pullout, classroom-based, and indirect-consultative service delivery models with elementary school-age children. Some evidence suggests that classroom-based direct services are at least as effective as pullout intervention for some intervention goals, and that highly trained speech-language pathology assistants, using manuals prepared by speech-language pathologists to guide intervention, can provide effective services for some children with language problems. CONCLUSION: Lacking adequate research-based evidence, clinicians must rely on reason-based practice and their own data until more data become available concerning which service delivery models are most effective. Recommendations are made for an expanded research agenda.