Measurement of the product attitudes of youth during the selection of assistive technology devices.

PURPOSE: This article proposes a conceptual underpinning for and examines the validity of the Youth Evaluation of Products (YEP) scale when used to measure the AT device attitudes of youth.

METHOD: Consumer socialization is promoted to improve the utility of an AT device selection framework for children and youth and inform the development of the YEP scale. A descriptive, qualitative mixed-methods design explored the validity of the scale when used by six manual wheelchair users, aged 11-14 years, to evaluate a new pushrim-activated, power-assisted wheelchair. Three youth participated in a subsequent focus group to share how they assessed wheelchair products.

RESULTS

The items and dimensions of the YEP scale corresponded well to participants' views about wheelchairs.

CONCLUSIONS

Consumer socialization provides a new way to understand the developing role of youth as AT consumers and the YEP scale is emerging as a way to measure their product attitudes. When integrated with contemporary thinking about the assessment and selection of AT devices, providers and parents may be better able to incorporate the product perspectives of youth during this shared decision-making process. [Box: see text].