The Arabic-Phonological Processing Test (A-PPT): development, validity, and reliability

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study introduces the Arabic-Phonological Processing Test (A-PPT) and conducts a thorough assessment of its validity and reliability. The A-PPT functions as a tool for evaluating three fundamental phonological processing skills: phonological awareness, phonological memory, and rapid naming. It aligns with the theoretical framework and administration protocols of the Comprehensive Test of Phonological Processing (CTOPP). The A-PPT comprises 10 distinct subtests and features a total of 325 items, all presented in standard Arabic and progressively increase in difficulty. Our research includes 550 Jordanian children aged 4–8, including both kindergarten and primary grades in elementary school. The A-PPT underwent meticulous piloting and comprehensive testing for validation and reliability. Face validity, determined through content expertise, yielded favorable outcomes. Internal consistency reliability, assessed via Cronbach’s alpha, demonstrated acceptable consistency levels for untimed subscales, ranging from .61 to .964, with the lowest alpha value observed in the 7–8-year-old age group, particularly for the Memory of Digits subtest. In contrast, timed subtests exhibited reliability coefficients between 0.817 and 0.916. Exploratory factor analysis revealed three interrelated subscales explaining 76% of the variance. Further evaluations of test-retest and inter-rater reliability demonstrated moderate to excellent correlation coefficients, with intraclass correlation coefficients ranging from .661 to .965 for test-retest reliability and from .748 to .958 for inter-rater reliability. While acknowledging certain limitations, this study's findings reaffirm the A-PPT's acceptable validity and reliability. This highlights its potential as a valuable assessment instrument for evaluating phonological processing skills within the Arabic-speaking population.