Clinical Acceptability of the Dynamic Assessment of Narrative in Cantonese: A Mixed-Methods Study

PURPOSE: There is growing evidence that dynamic assessment shows high discriminant validity in classifying children with and without language disorders. The Dynamic Assessment of Narrative in Cantonese (DANIC) is a new tool adapted from the language subtest of the Predictive Early Assessment of Reading and Language. This study aimed to explore the acceptability of the prototype DANIC tool to inform further development and implementation. METHOD: A mixed-methods approach was used. A postseminar survey and a focus group meeting were conducted to collect opinions from practicing speech-language pathologists (SLPs) of the prospective and retrospective acceptability of the DANIC, respectively. Correlation and regression analyses were used to analyze the quantitative survey data. Thematic analysis was applied to the qualitative data using Sekhon's theoretical framework of acceptability. RESULTS: Fifty survey responses were analyzed. A high acceptability rating (3.24/4) reflected high prospective acceptability. Correlation analysis revealed that overall acceptability was linked to various factors, some of which were interconnected. Ten SLPs who had used the DANIC prototype with at least two children participated in the focus group. Thematic analysis identified eight themes and 30 subthemes. A mind map was derived to depict the interconnections of main themes and subthemes. Focus group participants were positive about the ease of administration and short duration of the DANIC. At the same time, they expressed concerns regarding scoring, interpretation of the scores, adapting to clients' characteristics, keeping clients motivated, and the cultural appropriateness of the test materials. CONCLUSIONS: This study found high clinical acceptability of the DANIC through quantitative data, with qualitative feedback indicating moderate acceptability due to varied expectations and experiences. The results highlight the multifaceted interplay of factors influencing acceptability. Broader implications on social validity were discussed. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL: https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.32137597.