Preparing “the Activities of Daily Living Inventory for Children with Disabilities” (ADLIC-D) and Investigating Its Psychometric Properties in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, Intellectual Disability and Cerebral Palsy

Abstract

Background: The difficulties to perform self-care or basic activities of daily life are among the concerns of families, and rehabilitation professionals. In this issue, culturally adapted assessment tools help in the accurate assessment and treatment planning in rehabilitation. Objectives: The present study aimed to survey the validity, and reliability of Activities of Daily Living Inventory for Children with Disabilities (ADLIC-D) in preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), cerebral palsy (CP), intellectual disability (ID), and typical children. Methods: The face validity examined by 60 parents of children with disabilities. Content validity studied by 10 occupational therapists. The sample included 205 (70 normal, 45 ASD, 45 CP, and 45 ID) children aged 3 - 6 years whose parents completed ADLIC-D. Face and content validity, convergent validity with the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI), discriminant validity, test-retest reliability, and the internal consistency of instrument were examined. Result: Intra-class correlations coefficient for test-retest reliability was excellent (above 0.9). Cronbach's alpha for all items was excellent (0.977). The ADLIC-D had convergent validity with the PEDI (r = 0.95). The discriminant validity demonstrated that the measure distinguishes between normal and disabled groups. In addition, the number of final items on the new scale grew from 73 in the original to 76. Conclusions: ADLIC-D had validity, and reliability for children with ASD, CP, and ID. It measured the desired construct, i.e., the activities of daily living in children with the disabilities and differentiated between normal groups, and groups with disabilities.