Evaluating the Relationship Between Direct Pre-Assessments and Indirect Reports on Language and Cognition: The Peak Relational Training System - Direct Training and Generalization Module

The purpose of the present study was to examine the relationship between indirect and direct assessments of language and cognitive skills using the PEAK Relational Training System (PEAK). 29 participants were administered the PEAK-Direct Training Pre-Assessment (PEAK-DT-PA) and the PEAK-Generalization Pre-Assessment (PEAK-G-PA). Of those 29 participants, 28 of their caregivers and 10 therapists completed an indirect assessment the 368 skills listed in the PEAK-DT and PEAK-G curricula. The results of the study suggest that there was a strong correlation between the pre-assessments and the indirect reports from both the parents and the therapists for both modules. Additional correlations and interrater reliability across factors and individual test items were also investigated. Finally, trends in interrater reliability between caregiver report and direct assessments suggest that caregivers reporting for participants with lower overall scores more reliably identified if their child had a deficit with an advanced skill, but could less reliably identify if their child had a more basic skill. The opposite trend was found for caregivers reporting on participants with greater overalls scores. Implications of these findings for clinicians and future research are discussed.