Validity and Reliability Study of the Turkish Version of Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six–34

Abstract

Purpose: Speech and language disorders can negatively affect preschool children's communicative participation skills. Focus on the Outcomes of Communication Under Six–34 (FOCUS-34) is a valid and reliable scale that evaluates communicative participation in preschool children with speech and language disorders. This study aimed to establish the Turkish version of FOCUS-34 (FOCUS-34-TR) and investigate its validity and reliability. Method: A total of 175 children with language disorders, speech sound disorders, and fluency disorders (aged 20–72 months) and their parents were included in the study. Parents were asked to complete the demographic information form, the FOCUS-34-TR scale, and the Ages and Stages Questionnaires: Social–Emotional (ASQ-SE) Turkish version. The construct validity, convergent and divergent validity, internal consistency, and test–retest reliability of the scale were investigated. Results: The FOCUS-34-TR had high values for internal consistency (α = .97) and test–retest reliability ( r = .95). The correlations between the FOCUS-34-TR total score and its subscales were between .77 and .90. A moderately significant negative correlation was found between the FOCUS-34-TR scale and the ASQ-SE. Conclusion: The Turkish version of FOCUS-34 is a valid and reliable scale that can be used in clinics and for research purposes to evaluate the communicative participation skills of Turkish-speaking preschool children with speech and language disorders.