The Test of Playfulness and Children with Physical Disabilities

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine reliability and validity of the Test of Play fulness (ToP) (Bundy, 1998) with children who have physical disabilities but no known cognitive limitations, to compare their scores with those of able-bodied peers, and to examine any patterns of difference in test items between groups. Data from all of the children in the normative ToP data set meeting inclusion criteria (n = 25) were paired with data from the able-bodied child in the normative ToP data set who was closest in age and of the same gender. Data for all of the children were gathered during two, 15-minute video taped free play sessions. Playfulness was evaluated on 24 items. Rasch analysis revealed evidence that 100% of the raters scored the ToP reliably and data from 88% of the children with disabilities conformed to the pattern of playfulness typical of most of the children represented in the test's normative data set. Four ToP items accounted for most of the unexpected ratings. The mean ToP score of the two groups did not differ. Although decreased playfulness does not appear to be a sequela to physical disability, future research is needed to monitor ToP validity and potential differences in patterns of playfulness in children who have physical disabilities.