Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

• Masoomeh Salmani ¹
• Fatemeh Paknazar ^{2, 3}
• Jalal Bakhtiyari ³
• Marziyeh Maddah ¹
• Fatemeh Malayjerdi ⁴
• Amir Shakibi ⁴

¹ Speech & Language Therapy, Neuromuscular Rehabilitation Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

² Biostatistics Social Determinants of Health Research Center, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

³ Biostatistics, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

⁴ Department of Speech and Language Therapy, Semnan University of Medical Sciences, Semnan, Iran

Abstract

Backgrounds: Language professionals need proper tools to obtain representative information about children’s language in different settings. This study aimed to provide a Persian adaptation of the Pre-schoolers’ Conversational Skills scale a long with preliminary data on conversational skills in children with/out language disorders.
Method: This study was designed to adapt an English research instrument into Persian version. The research team administered forward translation, synthesis of translations, backward translations, expert committee review, pretesting and cognitive interviewing, test of pre-final version, and submission and appraisal of all written reports to adapt the scale. The participants were four translators, a statistician, a linguist, a speech therapist, the research team, eleven language professionals, 10 mothers in cognitive interviewing and 114 mothers in pretesting final version of the adapted version. A test-retest approach was applied to evaluate the scale’s reliability.
Results: There were not any complicated word or phrase during translations. The expert panel kept all items in the adapted version by adding examples to two items. The participants reported the Persian version items as clear and simple. The CVR and S-CVI were 1 and above 0.9 sequentially. The Cronbach’s alpha was equal to 0.9. The cut-off points of scale to categorize children were at or below 2.5, between 2.5 and 4.8, and at or above 4.8.  
Conclusion: The adapted version of the Pre-schoolers’ Conversational Skills scale has excellent validity and highly reliable. It is easy, and quick tool to be administered in clinical settings. According to this scale, children can be categorized as “no or infrequent pragmatic skills”; “pragmatic skills are emerging” & “well-developed pragmatic skills”.
 

Keywords

• Assertiveness
• Child
• Language disorders
• Reliability & Validity