Validity and reliability of a test of environmental supportiveness

Abstract

Through playful interactions with people and objects an individual gains valuable knowledge about the world around them. These interactions are also crucial to nurturing play. Research shows the most prominent features of the environment that affect a child's play are--caregivers, playmates (of all ages), objects, and the physical surroundings. The development of a valid way to measure these important features is a crucial step in achieving the knowledge needed to promote play and playfulness. The Test of Environmental Supportiveness (TOES) was designed to provide a comprehensive picture of the environmental features that can affect play. The TOES assesses not just if the features are present but whether or not they are supportive for each child's play. This study investigated the TOES for preliminary validity and inter-rater reliability for use with children 19 to 121 months. The results show promise of both content and construct reliability as well as inter-rater reliability. The TOES was also found to be an easy tool to use requiring no special equipment. Minimal training is needed to score the items.