Psychometric Testing of the Turkish School Setting Interview in Pediatric Neurodevelopmental Disorders.

BACKGROUND

This study investigated the validity and reliability of the Turkish version of the School Setting Interview (SSI) for children with neurodevelopmental disorders.

METHODS

A cross-sectional psychometric validation design was used with 115 schoolchildren (6-17 years) diagnosed with either specific learning disability (n = 63) or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (n = 52) in school and clinical settings across Turkey. Students completed the Turkish SSI, and convergent validity was examined via correlations with the School Function Assessment (SFA). As hypothesis-testing construct validity evidence, SSI scores were compared between genders, and reliability was evaluated through Cronbach's alpha and item analysis.

RESULTS

The Turkish SSI showed excellent convergent validity, correlating strongly with SFA participation (r = 0.97), performance (r = 0.97) and assistance (r = 0.95) scores. Additionally, no significant gender differences were found (p = 0.17). Internal consistency was high (Cronbach's alpha = 0.96), with every item contributing positively to the scale.

CONCLUSION

The Turkish SSI is a brief, reliable and valid instrument for gauging student-environment fit in children with neurodevelopmental disorders, enabling educators and occupational therapists to identify barriers and design targeted interventions that foster academic participation and success.