Date of Award

December 2020

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Kris Barnekow

Committee Members

Roger O Smith, Michelle Silverman, Shelley Lund

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of the study was to create an online assessment in order to better understand the knowledge, attitudes, and self-efficacy that pre-professional students have in the fields of assistive technology and ASD and establish content and face validity for this assessment.METHOD. 12 content experts, both professors and practitioners, within the fields of occupational therapy, physical therapy, speech language pathology, and special education, as well as experts in autism spectrum disorder and assistive technology, participated in the content validation process. A total of 16 students within these disciplines completed the assessment with pilot data gathered and provided feedback on face validity. RESULTS. The content validity index (.939) of the final version of the assessment indicates strong content validity. Data gathered from the face validation portion of the study indicate that pre-professional students see value in participating in the assessment and would be open to completing it again. Reported pilot data suggest the majority of pre-professional students believe their profession plays a role in providing assistive technology services to children with ASD (81.25%). The majority of participants also have demonstrated knowledge in this area, with all participants selecting the correct response for 25% of the knowledge items. CONCLUSIONS. Results of this study support continued investigation regarding the potential use of this assessment as an outcome measure for pre-professional programs and/or federal training programs. The use of this assessment on a larger scale may guide content provided in coursework or continuing education opportunities, with the ultimate goal to increase the quality of service provision for children with ASD.

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