Assessment Protocols for Latino Children with Learning or Emotional Disabilities in the Schools

Transcription

1 Assessment Protocols for Latino Children with Learning or Emotional Disabilities in the Schools Sponsored by the Federal Department of Education Nicolás Linares, PI (FILIUS Institute Director) Carmen Rodríguez Delgado and Migdalia Morales Berríos, Co- investigators (Professors and Researchers Occupational Therapy Program, EPS)

2 GOAL: PHASE I To identify the content for new assessment protocols for an early identification of SLD and for EBD, within the school contexts, in Hispanic children, specifically in Puerto Rico. Participants: samples of pre school and school age children were compared with samples that exhibited SLD or EBP indicators in cognitive, sensorimotor, emotional, behavioral, speechlanguage, neurological, psychiatric and parenting styles domains.

3 MULTIDISCIPLINARY ASSESSMENT BATTERY Preschool samples: First Step Kaufman ABC CBCL VMI Sensory Profile Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery Revised, Spanish Form (Pre-school Form) Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire Neurological / Psychiatric Protocol Parents interview School samples: EIWN-R-PR CBCL VMI Sensory Profile Woodcock Language Proficiency Battery Revised, Spanish Form Parenting Styles and Dimensions Questionnaire Bruininks - Oseretsky Test of Motor Proficiency Neurological / Psychiatric Protocol Parents interview

4 Pre school samples results examples (SLD indicators) Sequential (p =.00) and simultaneous (p =.00) cognitive processing abilities. Memory for sentences, (p=.00), and word attack, (p=.00). Difficulties to discipline their child (mothers rating of the father) (p =.04), scold and criticize to make our child improve (mothers self rating), (p =.0), and threaten our child with punishment more often than actually giving it (p =.05). Social withdrawal (p =.05), anxious / depressed (p =.05), aggressive behavior, (p =.05) and attention problems (p =.05).

5 School samples results examples (SLD indicators) Social withdrawal (p=.05), somatic complaints (p=.05), anxious / depressed (p=.00), social problems (p=.00), thought problems (p=.0), and attention problems (p=.00). Memory for sentences, (p=.00), word attack (p=.00), and letterword identification, (p=.00) areas. Mothers self rating: yell or shout when our child misbehaves (p =.00), scold and criticize to make our child improve (p =.05), spoil our child (p =.0), and allowing their child to give input into family rules (p =.04) were statistically significant (chisquare analysis). Sensory Processing: auditory processing (p=.0), vestibular processing (p=.05), multisensory processing (p=.00) and oral sensory processing (p=.05). In the Behavior and Emotional Responses: emotional/social responses (p=.0) and behavioral outcomes of sensory processing (p=.0).

6 Pre school sample examples (EBP) Sequential (p=.00) and Simultaneous (p=.0) processing scales Social withdrawal (p=.00), Somatic complaints (p=.0), Anxious / depressed (p=.00), Social problems (p=.0), Thought problems (p=.0), Attention problems (p=.0),delinquent behavior (p=.0), Aggressive behavior (p=.0) and Internalizing problems scale (p=.05) Memory for sentences, (p=.00), and word attack, (p=.00). comfort and understanding when our child is upset (p =.04), scold and criticize to make our child improve (p =.00), spoil our child ((p =.00), scold or criticize when our child s behavior doesn t meet our expectations ((p =.05) were statistically significant.

7 School samples (EBP) Vocabulary (p=.00) Social withdrawal (p=.00), somatic complaints (p=.0), anxious / depressed (p=.00), social problems (p=.0), thought problems (p=.0), attention problems (p=.0),delinquent behavior (p=.0), aggressive behavior (p=.0), internalizing problems scale (p=.05). Memory for sentences (p =.00), word attack (p =.00), letter-word identification (p =.00) and dictation (p =.0). Take our child s desires into account before asking the childtodo something((p =.04), encourage their child to freely express (himself)(herself) even when disagreeing with parents (p =.04), stating punishments to our child and does not actually do them (p =.0), allow our child to give input into family rules (p =.04)

8 School samples examples (EBP) Sensory Seeking (p =.00), Emotionally Reactive (p =.00) and Inattention/Distractibility (p =.04 ) Auditory Processing (p =.05), Modulation: modulation of movement affecting activity level (p =.06), modulation of sensory input that affect emotional responses (p =.04), and modulation of Visual Input Affecting Emotional Responses and Activity Level (p =.0). In the Behavior and Emotional Responses Section, in the emotional/social responses (p =.00), behavioral outcomes of sensory processing (p =.04), and items indicating thresholds for response (p =.0).

9 OUTCOMES: PHASE II Identification of the required content We used a qualitative research approach by means of a multidisciplinary focus and discussion group that provided judgment information and expert opinion.

10 Findings (examples) Performance domain Cognitive: Pre school level Focus group/ expert opinion SLD indicators: Short-term memory Difficulties following instructions Attention and concentration Learning generalization Readiness EBD indicators: Attention and concentration Following instructions Activities tolerance Absences affect school, progress and achievement Significant results SLD and EBD samples: Sequential reasoning Simultaneous reasoning Constantly changes activities and task, never finishes activities, pays attention, gets distracted.

11 Findings (examples) Performance domain Cognitive: School Level Focus group/ expert opinion SLD indicators: Specific subjects matters Lack of grade level skills Inconsistent performance Recognizing letters and numbers Information processing Mathematical calculations Sequence establishment Writing Providing personal information Reasoning, following instructions Significant results EBD and SLD samples: lack of attention and distractibility, difficulty in completing assignments, turns on radio, background noise (fans), does not appear to be listening, does not respond to name. EBD sample: Vocabulary Sub-Test (EIWIN-R- PR)

12 OUTCOMES: PHASE III A list of 86 items (SLD) and 6 items (EBP) were formulated for the observation of behaviors of pre school and school samples. Another expert panel (mostly Regular and Special Education Teachers) examined these items and we calculated the CVR S and the averages for each item.

13 SLD and EBP findings Specific Learning Disabilities: List of Discriminative Traits Difficulty in completing courses or materials such as mathematics, Spanish, and English. Difficulty applying what they learned. Difficulty in developing the readiness skills of the pre-school level. Academic performance and progress inconsistent in the different classes or materials. Difficulty in processing hearing, visual, and tactile sensory information, in working with materials like glue and paint, does not like to be touched, the light seems to bother them, they cover their ears during common classroom noises, they rock in their chair, and they do not participate in activities on the playground or during breaks. CVR Average

14 Emotional / Behavioral Problems: List of Discriminative Traits Difficulty in getting their attention focused on other people and/or classroom activities. Performance seems to be affected by stimulants not noticed by other students, such as: noise from fans and air conditioning and lights. Cannot concentrate for the minimal time required to complete assignments such as: paying attention to a complete activity, listening to a complete presentation or lecture by the teacher. Presents a consistently high level of behaviors such as: can not sit still, can not sit still for the time required to read a story if they are in pre-school, or while a class is offered. Makes noises that bother others, such as: noises with the mouth or hitting a pencil on the desk. During sedentary activities, they wiggle and seem impatient and nervous. CVR Average

15 6 (SLD) indicators and 55 (EBP) were validated through quantitative and qualitative methods. The experts considered there to be a great need in Puerto Rico for the early identification and diagnosis of children with learning disabilities and behavior/emotional problems. They also addressed the importance of the roles of parents, teachers, and the interdisciplinary team in the identification and follow-up of these students.

16 OUTCOMES: PHASE IV Experimental versions of the SLD (IPECE) and EBD (IPCECE) observational assessment instruments were studied in a pilot project. Evidence was obtained that both SLD and the EBP protocols were reliable and valid as well as adequate to identify the related indicators of each condition.

17 A total of 6 students were part of the sample (special and regular education, rural and urban areas). A question was included, in order to gather the observers teachers opinion, regarding if the student being observed was having either learning disabilities problems or behavioral / emotional difficulties.

18 IPEACE CONTEXTO ESCOLAR PARTE I: OBSERVACIONES SOBRE EL APRENDIZAJE SIEMPRE O CASI SIEMPRE () ALGUNAS VECES () NUNCA O CASI NUNCA (). Dificultades en generalizar lo aprendido.. Dificultades en desarrollar (o haber desarrollado si es preescolar) las destrezas de apresto.. En la clase de arte rechaza trabajar con materiales como: pega, pintura y plasticina. 4. Dificultad en seguir un mandato simple. 5. No recuerda lo que se le ha dicho o las instrucciones impartidas. 6. Presenta problemas del habla y lenguaje.

19 IPCECE CONTEXTO ESCOLAR PARTE I: OBSERVACIONES SOBRE LACONDUCTA Y ASPECTOS EMOCIONALES SIEMPRE O CASI SIEMPRE () ALGUNAS VECES () NUNCA O CASI NUNCA (). Su ejecución se ve afectada al captar estímulos que otros estudiantes no notan tales como: ruidos de abanicos, aire acondicionado y luces encendidas.. No logra concentrar el tiempo mínimo requerido para completar las tareas tales como: atender a una actividad en todas sus partes, escuchar una presentación o charla del maestro completa. 4. Presenta un alto nivel de actividad en forma consistente observándose conductas tales como: no se está quieto, no permanence sentado el tiempo requerido mientras se lee una historia (si es un pre-escolar) o mientras se ofrece una clase. 5. Hace ruidos que molestan a otros tales como: ruidos con la boca o dando golpecitos con un lápiz en el pupitre. 6. En actividades sedentarias hace movimientos con su cuerpo, observándose impaciente, nervioso. 7. Su nivel de energía luce por debajo de lo esperado, observándose conductas tales como: poco entusiasmo para aprender, no responde con rapidez a los estímulos, prefiere actividades sedentarias, habla en forma lenta.

20 Alpha Cronbach internal consistency coefficients were obtained for both protocols (SLD =.97 and EBP=.98). T test comparison of the samples(special and regular education students) was significant (p =.00). These comparisons suggest that both of these protocols discriminate between the samples. Also, t tests were performed to compare the observers - teachers opinion as a criteria. It was found that there were significant differences when comparing typical students that the teachers opinion was that they have many indicators of SLD and of EBP. These results suggest that the observers teacher opinions could be considered an important criteria and an important part on the protocols.

21 Utility for the school personnel The protocols / instruments were evaluated as: Easy to administer, practical and comprehensive. Items included behaviors that are observed by teachers and other personnel in the school contexts. They expressed that both protocols provided them with the language and the observational pieces and that the experience of being in this research, enriched their observation capacities in order to help their students. They communicated the value of this investigation emphasizing the teachers role in the early identification of these problems. Also they formulated some recommendations.

22 FUTURE PLANS To continue the validation study with a representative sample To further disseminate results