Construct and Content Validity of Online Educational Modules for Parents of Children With a Disability

Research Objectives: To develop, and establish construct and content validity of evidence-based educational modules for parents with children with a disability.

Design: This study used a construct and content validity design.

Setting: This study was conducted within the general Chicagoland area community setting.

Participants: Three participants were recruited from the Chicagoland area using a sample of convenience. Participants were allied health and education professionals with over 16 years of experience working with children with disabilities and their families.

Interventions: A thorough literature review was conducted to identify the educational needs of caregivers of children with disability. Based on the literature review, four online educational modules were created using current evidence: Individualized Education Program, Future Planning, Caregiver Self-Care, and Physical Activity. In order to establish content validity, participants reviewed and provided feedback on the content of the modules.

Main Outcome Measures: Educational modules were created based on current evidence from the literature. Content validity was established through feedback via an online survey using the Qualtrics platform.

Results: One hundred percent of participants indicated the content, resources, and videos embedded in all four modules were credible and current. Strengths identified by participants included the variety of educational mediums (videos, visuals, links to credible external resources, and testimonials), ease of use, and acknowledgment of caregiver mental health. Suggestions for improvement included providing resources for Spanish-speaking parents, considering the relevance of the “Physical Activity” module, and including videos in the “Caregiver Self-Care” module.

Conclusions: Construct and content validity of the modules were established. Investigators made the following modifications based on participants’ suggestions: Spanish resources were included in all modules and videos were added to the caregiver self-care module. The “Physical Activity” module’s relevance was examined and determined to be in concurrence with the evidence found within the literature and with feedback provided by other participants. Investigators are currently in the process of establishing face validity in preparation for the dissemination of the modules.

Author(s) Disclosures: There are no potential conflicts of interest to report for any of the authors.