Psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children: an item bank for measuring communicative participation in children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss

Eline Alons; Margreet Luinge; Ellen Gerrits; Nicole Ter Wal; Lisette Van Ewijk; Benjamin  Schalet; Caroline Barbara Terwee

doi:10.1186/s41687-026-01118-w

Psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children: an item bank for measuring communicative participation in children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss

Eline Alons
, Margreet Luinge
, Ellen Gerrits
, Nicole Ter Wal
, Lisette Van Ewijk
, Benjamin Schalet
, Caroline Barbara Terwee

Language Function & Healthy Ageing

Research group Speech and Language Therapy: Participation through Communication - HU University of Applied Sciences, Utrecht
Amstrdam UMC, Epidemiology and Data Science
Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Methodology
Utrecht University, Institute for Language Sciences, Department of Languages, Literature and Communication

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

Background
Communicative participation is the most important outcome of speech and language therapy. However, there are no instruments to measure communicative participation in children. This paper focuses on assessing the psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children, an item bank designed to measure communicative participation in children with speech, language, or voice disorders, as well as hearing loss.

Methodology
A total of 310 children with communication difficulties participated in the study. They completed the full item pool of 49 items, along with three comparator questionnaires: the PROMIS® Pediatric Peer Relationships and two single items measuring communication and communicative participation. Psychometric evaluation focused on structural validity, construct validity, and reliability.

Results
Seventeen of the 49 items were removed through systematic item reduction. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and bifactor modeling supported sufficient unidimensionality, indicating that communicative participation can be reliably measured as a single construct. Moderate correlations with related constructs (e.g., communication, communicative participation, and peer relationships) further supported the construct validity of MyCommunication-Children. Two short forms were developed for different purposes: a 10-item version measuring communicative participation across all contexts, and a 9-item version measuring communicative participation within the school context. Reliability analyses showed high reliability for the full item bank and sufficient reliability for both short forms.

Conclusion
The results provide sufficient evidence to support the validity and reliability of the MyCommunication-Children instrument for measuring communicative participation from the perspective of children with communication difficulties.

Original language	English
Journal	Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1186/s41687-026-01118-w
Publication status	Published - 17 Jun 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 03 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss
communicative participation
patient reported outcome measures

Research Focus Areas Hanze University of Applied Sciences * (mandatory by Hanze)

Healthy Ageing

Research Focus Areas Research Centre or Centre of Expertise * (mandatory by Hanze)

Equality of opportunity and participation

Publinova themes

Other
Education and Teaching
Health
People and Society

Access to Document

10.1186/s41687-026-01118-wLicence: CC BY

Cite this

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title = "Psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children: an item bank for measuring communicative participation in children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss",

abstract = "Background Communicative participation is the most important outcome of speech and language therapy. However, there are no instruments to measure communicative participation in children. This paper focuses on assessing the psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children, an item bank designed to measure communicative participation in children with speech, language, or voice disorders, as well as hearing loss. Methodology A total of 310 children with communication difficulties participated in the study. They completed the full item pool of 49 items, along with three comparator questionnaires: the PROMIS{\textregistered} Pediatric Peer Relationships and two single items measuring communication and communicative participation. Psychometric evaluation focused on structural validity, construct validity, and reliability. Results Seventeen of the 49 items were removed through systematic item reduction. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and bifactor modeling supported sufficient unidimensionality, indicating that communicative participation can be reliably measured as a single construct. Moderate correlations with related constructs (e.g., communication, communicative participation, and peer relationships) further supported the construct validity of MyCommunication-Children. Two short forms were developed for different purposes: a 10-item version measuring communicative participation across all contexts, and a 9-item version measuring communicative participation within the school context. Reliability analyses showed high reliability for the full item bank and sufficient reliability for both short forms. Conclusion The results provide sufficient evidence to support the validity and reliability of the MyCommunication-Children instrument for measuring communicative participation from the perspective of children with communication difficulties.",

keywords = "kinderen met spraak-, taal- of stemstoornissen of gehoorverlies, communicatieve participatie, door de pati{\"e}nt gerapporteerde uitkomstmaten, children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss, communicative participation, patient reported outcome measures",

author = "Eline Alons and Margreet Luinge and Ellen Gerrits and \{Ter Wal\}, Nicole and \{Van Ewijk\}, Lisette and Benjamin Schalet and Terwee, \{Caroline Barbara\}",

year = "2026",

month = jun,

day = "17",

doi = "10.1186/s41687-026-01118-w",

language = "English",

journal = "Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes",

issn = "2509-8020",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children

T2 - an item bank for measuring communicative participation in children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss

AU - Alons, Eline

AU - Luinge, Margreet

AU - Gerrits, Ellen

AU - Ter Wal, Nicole

AU - Van Ewijk, Lisette

AU - Schalet, Benjamin

AU - Terwee, Caroline Barbara

PY - 2026/6/17

Y1 - 2026/6/17

N2 - Background Communicative participation is the most important outcome of speech and language therapy. However, there are no instruments to measure communicative participation in children. This paper focuses on assessing the psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children, an item bank designed to measure communicative participation in children with speech, language, or voice disorders, as well as hearing loss. Methodology A total of 310 children with communication difficulties participated in the study. They completed the full item pool of 49 items, along with three comparator questionnaires: the PROMIS® Pediatric Peer Relationships and two single items measuring communication and communicative participation. Psychometric evaluation focused on structural validity, construct validity, and reliability. Results Seventeen of the 49 items were removed through systematic item reduction. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and bifactor modeling supported sufficient unidimensionality, indicating that communicative participation can be reliably measured as a single construct. Moderate correlations with related constructs (e.g., communication, communicative participation, and peer relationships) further supported the construct validity of MyCommunication-Children. Two short forms were developed for different purposes: a 10-item version measuring communicative participation across all contexts, and a 9-item version measuring communicative participation within the school context. Reliability analyses showed high reliability for the full item bank and sufficient reliability for both short forms. Conclusion The results provide sufficient evidence to support the validity and reliability of the MyCommunication-Children instrument for measuring communicative participation from the perspective of children with communication difficulties.

AB - Background Communicative participation is the most important outcome of speech and language therapy. However, there are no instruments to measure communicative participation in children. This paper focuses on assessing the psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children, an item bank designed to measure communicative participation in children with speech, language, or voice disorders, as well as hearing loss. Methodology A total of 310 children with communication difficulties participated in the study. They completed the full item pool of 49 items, along with three comparator questionnaires: the PROMIS® Pediatric Peer Relationships and two single items measuring communication and communicative participation. Psychometric evaluation focused on structural validity, construct validity, and reliability. Results Seventeen of the 49 items were removed through systematic item reduction. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and bifactor modeling supported sufficient unidimensionality, indicating that communicative participation can be reliably measured as a single construct. Moderate correlations with related constructs (e.g., communication, communicative participation, and peer relationships) further supported the construct validity of MyCommunication-Children. Two short forms were developed for different purposes: a 10-item version measuring communicative participation across all contexts, and a 9-item version measuring communicative participation within the school context. Reliability analyses showed high reliability for the full item bank and sufficient reliability for both short forms. Conclusion The results provide sufficient evidence to support the validity and reliability of the MyCommunication-Children instrument for measuring communicative participation from the perspective of children with communication difficulties.

KW - kinderen met spraak-, taal- of stemstoornissen of gehoorverlies

KW - communicatieve participatie

KW - door de patiënt gerapporteerde uitkomstmaten

KW - children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss

KW - communicative participation

KW - patient reported outcome measures

U2 - 10.1186/s41687-026-01118-w

DO - 10.1186/s41687-026-01118-w

M3 - Article

SN - 2509-8020

JO - Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes

JF - Journal of Patient-Reported Outcomes

ER -

Psychometric properties of MyCommunication-Children: an item bank for measuring communicative participation in children with speech, language, voice disorders or hearing loss

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

Research Focus Areas Hanze University of Applied Sciences * (mandatory by Hanze)

Research Focus Areas Research Centre or Centre of Expertise * (mandatory by Hanze)

Publinova themes

Access to Document

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Cite this