Psychometric properties of the Turkish version of Participation and Environment Measure for Children and Youth

Background Participation in daily activities provides many opportunities for children with and without disabilities to improve cognitive, physical and communication abilities; to develop social relationships and to promote adaptive behaviours. The aim of this study is to examine the psychometric properties of the Participation Environment Measure for Children and Youth (PEM-CY) in Turkish children and youth with and without a disability. Methods A total of 410 parents of children with (n= 232) and without (n= 178) disabilities, aged 5-17 years, were included in this study. Cronbach's alpha (alpha) and intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were evaluated for internal consistency and test-retest reliability, respectively. Discriminant validity was determined by comparing the differences in participation and environment scores for disability groups and age intervals with the two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by post-hoc analyses when results were statistically significant. Results Internal consistency (0.67-0.80) and test-retest reliability (0.67-0.93,p< 0.0001) ranged from moderate to very strong for different summary scores. Discriminant validity of the Turkish version of PEM-CY was supported by significant differences between children with and without disabilities on participation and environment scales (p< 0.05). We identified some significant age differences, but they did not follow consistently. Conclusions The Turkish version of the PEM-CY is a valid and reliable tool to determine the participation and environmental factors in the home, at school and in community settings in Turkish children and youth aged 5-17 years, with and without disabilities.