Reliability of the participation and sensory environment questionnaire: Community scales

Background: The Participation and Sensory Environment Questionnaire (P-SEQ): Community Scales is a parent report questionnaire designed to examine the impact of the sensory environment on participation within community activities for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Methods: This study used a cross sectional quantitative design to establish the reliability and discriminate validity of the P-SEQ: Community Scales. Results: This study established the initial reliability of the questionnaire including internal consistency of 0.98 test-retest reliability of 0/6. The P-SEQ: Community Scales demonstrated significant differences in item distribution for children without ASD as compared to those with ASD, an essential aspect of construct validity. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that the questionnaire is a reliable tool that can be used to assess the impact of sensory environment's impact on participation in community activities. Identified barriers can be modified to support participation in community tasks.