Measures of Participation Outcomes and Environmental Considerations for Children With Acquired Brain Injury: A Systematic Review

This systematic review examined the psychometric properties and application of assessments used to evaluate participation outcomes and environmental factors for children with acquired brain injury (ABI). An electronic search of eight databases for articles published up to June 2009 revealed reference to 98 outcome measures. According to inclusion criteria based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF: Child and Youth version), five were identified as measures of participation (Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment [CAPE], Child and Adolescent Scale of Participation [CASP], Assessment of Life Habits for Children [LIFE-H], Participation Index of the Mayo-Portland Adaptability Index [M2PI], and the Participation Subscale of the School Function Assessment [SFA-PS]). Six were identified as measures of environment (Child and Adolescent Scale of Environment [CASE], Craig Hospital Inventory of Environmental Factors [CHIEF], European Child Environment Questionnaire [ECEQ], Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes [FILE], HOME Inventory, and the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support Scale [MSPSS]). The measures were critiqued in relation to content, validity, reliability, clinical utility, responsiveness, and overall strengths/weaknesses. These measures need to be evaluated more extensively with children who have ABI to further determine their psychometric properties and clinical usefulness with this population.