Theses and Dissertations
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Browsing Theses and Dissertations by Subject "assessment"
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Item Open Access Pediatric traumatic brain injury and educational identification: estimating injury severity using data from a TBI screening tool(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Holzrichter, Sarah, author; Sample, Pat, advisor; Greene, David, committee member; Daunhauer, Lisa, committee memberTraumatic brain injury is a significant source of disability in children and its sequelae can significantly impact a child's academic abilities and school success. Only a small percentage of children who sustain a TBI, however, will receive academic supports specific to TBI, whether through an IEP, 504 plan, or Response to Intervention. The Brain Check Survey (BCS) is a parent-report screening tool designed to be used in educational settings to screen for past incidents that may have caused brain injuries as well as for behaviors and symptoms that may be related to a past TBI and that are impacting a specific student's school performance. In the state of Colorado, having a parent complete the BCS is one of the steps used to determine if a child has a "credible history" of brain injury that is necessary to qualify the child for services. As of yet, however, there are no guidelines given for how to interpret the portion of the BCS that inquires about past incidents that may have caused a brain injury. The purpose of this study was to develop a model for interpreting this portion of the BCS and for roughly estimating the severity of any of the student's past head-related injuries. An Injury-Severity Classification Model (ISCM) was developed and inter-rater reliability tested for its use. Data from completed BCS forms collected in five different Colorado school districts were used for analysis. Additionally, preliminary testing of the model's construct validity was conducted using the resulting severity groups and their presenting behaviors and symptoms as reported on the BCS. High inter-rater reliability was established for the ISCM and its utility was demonstrated for estimating past injury severity among students already identified as having sustained a TBI and receiving services, as well as among students currently receiving no special services. Recommendations are made for revisions of the Injury-Severity Classification Model (ISCM) and for future research.Item Open Access The test of everyday attention for children: a confirmatory factor analysis approach(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2011) Passantino, Deborah, author; Davies, Patricia, advisor; Gavin, William, committee member; Diehl, Manfred, committee memberAs the incidence of children diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) continues to grow, the need for objective measures of attentional performance is clearly warranted for evaluating attentional differences and guiding intervention. This study examined the multidimensional nature of attention. Previous research suggests that there may be three types of attention: selective attention, control shift attention, and sustained attention. One hundred and eleven children age six to twelve completed the nine subtests of the Test of Everyday Attention for Children (TEA-Ch, Manly, Robertson, Anderson & Nimmo-Smith, 1999). Using a confirmatory factor analysis approach, this study sought to determine whether a three-factor model, as supported in a prior confirmatory factor analysis study with Australian children (Manly, Nimmo-Smith, Watson, Anderson, Turner, & Robertson, 2001), could be replicated with an American sample, or alternatively if a four factor model, with the addition of divided attention, would better explain the covariance structure of this study's data. An additional objective addressed in this study was whether the three-factor model could be improved by using raw scores while taking the effects of age and gender into account compared the three factor model using scaled scores. A two factor model was also explored due to high correlations between the latent factors in the three factor model. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a two-factor model using age-scaled scores best explained the covariance structure in this sample's data, χ2 (26, N=111) = 34.65, p = .120, NFI = .79, NNFI = .89, CFI = .92. Whereas, the three-factor model using age-scaled scores was less desirable, χ2 (24, N=111) = 34.63, p = .074, NFI = .79, NNFI = .86, CFI = .91. Although not as strong as some of the comparative fit indices of the Manly et al. (2001) normative study, overall the indices of fit of this study's two-factor model yielded a better solution than the three-factor model. These results suggest that selective attention and control shift attention may not reflect separate constructs of attention as shown in the Manly, et al. (2001) study. Additionally, the use of age-scaled scores in the three-factor model was superior to raw scores with age and gender controlled, χ2 (24, N=111) = 42.07, p = .013, NFI = .71, NNFI = .75, CFI = .83. Furthermore, the four-factor model using age-scaled scores, χ2 (21, N=111) = 34.25, p = .034, NFI = .79, NNFI = .81, CFI = .89 was also less desirable than the two-factor model using age-scaled scores. Because this study confirms the ability to assess multidimensional aspects of attention, the TEA-Ch may be a valuable tool for practitioners and researchers. However, one possible drawback of the TEA-Ch is the hour required for children to complete its nine subtests. A briefer screening tool of the first four subtests of the TEA-Ch is suggested when time constraints arise. However, further analysis is recommended to determine if the four subtests in the TEA-Ch screening tool are optimal. Thus, additional research is needed with respect to shorter multidimensional assessments of attention to inform intervention and consequently improve the quality of life for children with attentional differences.Item Open Access Users' perspectives of clinical utility of the Daily Experiences of Pleasure, Productivity and Restoration Profile in a caregiver support group(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2015) Stephans, Lindsey E., author; Atler, Karen, advisor; Fruhauf, Christine, committee member; Sample, Pat, committee memberOccupationally-focused assessments that consider the client’s occupational experience in context are crucial to providing interventions that are meaningful and ecologically valid for our clients. Yet, few assessments go beyond an evaluation of typical occupational performance to recognize the contextual elements that provide depth to an individual’s occupational experience. The purpose of this paper is to report on a utility study of one such assessment, The Daily Experiences of Pleasure, Productivity and Restoration Profile (PPR Profile), used by an occupational therapist with a group of spousal caregivers. This pragmatic, single case study design sought to capture caregivers’ perceptions of utility in completing the PPR Profile and discussing it with an occupational therapist. Four major themes emerged: initial perspectives of using the PPR Profile, using the PPR Profile was helpful, but difficult, using the PPR Profile provided opportunities for change, and recommendations for using the PPR Profile. The results support the use of the PPR Profile to capture and discuss contextual occupational experiences as a client-centered and ecologically valid occupational therapy assessment to guide interventions for caregivers to self-manage their health. Discussion focused on issues that occupational therapists need to consider in using the PPR Profile. While these results are promising in one setting, further research is warranted.Item Open Access Utility of the participation and environment measure for children and youth (PEM-CY) for programmatic assessment and intervention planning: a mixed methods study(Colorado State University. Libraries, 2013) Cliff, Anna Beth, author; Khetani, Mary, advisor; Schelly, Catherine, committee member; Daunhauer, Lisa, committee memberThe purpose of this mixed methods sequential explanatory study was to examine the utility of the Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY) for use by a community service agency, Adaptive Recreation Opportunities (ARO), for programmatic assessment and service planning to promote children's community participation. The study used two distinct, interactive phases, which included collection and analysis of quantitative data (Phase 1) and sequential collection and analysis of qualitative data (Phase 2) to determine if qualitative results could be used to further explain results from the quantitative phase. The first phase of the study (quan) included gathering PEM-CY data from 23 families who were receiving services from ARO to better understand patterns in children's community participation and environmental supports and barriers to participation in community activities. Results from Phase 1 were summarized into a report and used during Phase 2 (QUAL) to gather the perspectives of 7 ARO staff via semi-structured interviews. Phase two findings suggest that ARO staff perceived the PEM-CY to provide for a more comprehensive and detailed initial assessment process to identify individual and program-level needs. Providers were also able to delineate a core decisional process for leveraging PEM-CY results to develop an intervention plan with families. Future validation with parents and considerations for enabling collaborative and feasible uptake of the decisional process by parents and providers is discussed.