Reliability and Validity of the Chinese Version Assessment of Promoting the Emergence of Advance Knowledge (PEAK), Direct Training Module

Author

Hua Cheng, Southern Illinois University CarbondaleFollow

Date of Award

12-1-2017

Degree Name

Master of Science

Department

Behavior Analysis and Therapy

First Advisor

Dixon, Mark

Abstract

The Mandarin Chinese version of the first PEAK module (Direct Training) assessment was created and compared to the English version, by examining alternate-form reliability and cross-cultural validity. Thirty-two typically developing children under 10 years old (19 males and 13 females) residing in USA, Canada, and mainland China were recruited and assessed by bilingual parents with both language versions of PEAK-DT assessments. Statistical results show that the two language versions had strong correlations between the PEAK raw scores (r = .98), the component raw scores (r ranged .93 to .98), and the component age-referenced scores (r ranged .77 to .93). Equivalence between the two versions was also demonstrated by high test-retest percentage of agreement on all items as well as scored items, (88%, and 92% respectively). No significant testing effects were observed across the test-retest intervals, and no differences were observed in terms of the assessors’ English proficiency. Furthermore, 183 out of the 184 items in the PEAK-DT assessments rejected the null hypothesis of One-Sample Chi-square test (p < .05 at confidence level of 95%), indicating that the globally high percentage of agreement from both versions was the result of valid translation. In summary, the Chinese version of the PEAK-DT assessment exhibited cross-cultural reliability and validity, which may lay the foundation for the future research on the use of the PEAK system with the Chinese community.