How to assess participation in 2- to 5-year-olds, focusing on everyday functioning and social interactions: scoping review

Abstract

This scoping review aimed to identify participation assessment measures, focusing on everyday functioning or social interactions in children aged 2 to 5. Following the PRISMA guidelines, relevant studies published over a 5-year period were identified and selected, using a transdiagnostic approach. Four hundred and eighty publications from 37 countries were analyzed. Among the 651 mentions, 186 different measures were identified, of which only 34 were cited more than three times. To assess participation in young children, the alignment of concepts and their operationalization seems a challenge across the early childhood professions. Results highlight the difficulty of transitioning from unidisciplinary, diagnosis-focused approaches to child-and-family-centered practices.

Keywords: Assessment; measures; participation; preschoolers; social interactions.