Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2-12-2021
Journal
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders
Volume
56
Issue
2
First Page
313
Last Page
329
URL with Digital Object Identifier
https://doi.org/10.1111/1460-6984.12603
Abstract
Background: The Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN) is an international initiative that offers standardized and validated tools to guide the appraisal of outcome measures in healthcare.
Aims: This study aimed to explore the use of a new set of tools from COSMIN to appraise studies on outcome measures available to speech and language therapists (SLTs).
Methods: We used the COSMIN tools to appraise seven studies and a user manual that reported the measurement properties of the Focus on the Outcomes of Children Under Six (FOCUS), a validated measure of preschoolers’ communicative participation that is used in various contexts around the world.
Results: Using COSMIN guidelines, the FOCUS was categorized as a “Category A” tool because there was a sufficient level of evidence to support its content validity and internal consistency. According to the COSMIN guidelines, this means that the FOCUS can be recommended for clinical use. The quality of evidence supporting measurement properties of the FOCUS received a rating of ‘moderate’, meaning users can have moderate confidence in its measurement properties. Since these ratings from the COSMIN tools may be unclear to users of the FOCUS, we have provided more specific recommendations.
Conclusions & Implications: The COSMIN tools offer detailed standards to support the appraisal of outcome measures available to SLTs. However, several limitations were observed, and recommendations to support the application of the COSMIN tools are provided.