Psychometric validation of the Family Outcome Survey-Revised in Singapore.
The bilingual Family Outcomes Survey-Revised is valid in Singapore and shows families feel ECI is helping.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Hsieh et al. (2014) checked if the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised works in Singapore. They gave the bilingual form to caregivers of young children in early-intervention programs.
The team ran a confirmatory factor analysis. This means they tested if the survey questions still group the same way they do in the United States.
What they found
The survey kept its original structure. Caregivers said their families were doing pretty well and that early-intervention services were helpful.
Because the numbers held up, clinicians can trust the FOS-R scores they collect here.
How this fits with other research
Madden et al. (2003) built the first family-outcome survey in the United States. Hsieh et al. (2014) now show the shorter revised version still works across cultures, extending that work.
Hu et al. (2012) did the same kind of factor check on a different family scale in China. Both Asian studies found the survey structure holds, giving you confidence in the tools.
Lin et al. (2009) looked at Taiwanese caregivers and found lower quality of life. Hsieh et al. (2014) found higher family outcomes in Singapore. The difference is likely the tool: the WHOQOL-BREF measures general life quality, while the FOS-R asks about service-linked goals like knowing their rights and helping their child grow.
Why it matters
You can now give the FOS-R at intake and discharge without worrying if it is valid here. Track caregiver progress on the five family outcomes and use low scores to guide extra support or training.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
This study sought to examine the construct validity of the Family Outcomes Survey-Revised (FOS-R) in Singapore, describe the extent to which family outcomes of early childhood intervention (ECI) are attained, and obtain caregivers' perception on the extent to which ECI has served their needs. The FOS-R was translated into Chinese (simplified) and Malay for use in Singapore. Bilingual (i.e., English-Chinese and English-Malay) versions of the instrument were distributed to caregivers of young children with disabilities receiving ECI in four centers in Singapore. A total of 291 surveys were available for analyses (response rate of 43.1%). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that there was a fit between the current data set and the FOS-R structure proposed by the developers. Overall, the participants reported moderately high attainment of family outcomes. They also reported that the ECI programs were mostly helpful. Other aspects of the cross-cultural application of instruments were considered and implications for local service provision as well as directions for future research were discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.03.047