THE ADAPTED SWIMMING AND EMOTIONAL ADJUSTMENT SCALE (A-SEAS) FOR CHILDREN WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY (ID) AND AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDERS (ASD)

Water assessment so far included the development of aquatic tests based mainly on the Halliwick concept, whereas content comparison of these tests used in relevant studies showed that most researches primarily focused on children with cerebral palsy and other neurological disorders. The purpose of this study was to develop a new aquatic test named Adapted Swimming and Emotional Adjustment Scale (A-SEAS) assess its reliability and validity for children with intellectual disability (ID) and autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and adapt and culturally validate the new instrument from the Greek to the English language for wider international use. A-SEAS consists of fourteen (14) items designed to assess aquatic skills and emotional adjustment of children aged 6 years and older with ASD and ID. The internal reliability and validity of A-SEAS were examined via the observational ratings provided by three adapted swimming instructors. Face validity was assessed by two experts, and inter-rater reliability study was conducted with three raters. Kappa Cohen’s was used to confirm A-SEAS reliability. Findings suggest that A-SEAS is a reliable and valid tool for assessing measured values. ICC values (ICC = .966 to 1) highlight its excellent internal consistency and inter-rater reliability. Cohen’s kappa results ranging from (κ = .77 to 1) underscore its reliability, with high to flawless agreement observed across raters. High face validity confirmed by expert evaluations ensures that A-SEAS is comprehensible, relevant, and effectively aligned with its intended constructs, an overall suitable and reliable tool for future research and practice.<p> </p><p><strong> Article visualizations:</strong></p><p><img src="/-counters-/soc/0217/a.php" alt="Hit counter" /></p>