Reliability and Validity of the McDonald Play Inventory

Abstract

OBJECTIVE. This study examined the ability of a two-part self-report instrument, the McDonald Play Inventory, to reliably and validly measure the play activities and play styles of 7- to 11-yr-old children and to discriminate between the play of neurotypical children and children with known learning and developmental disabilities. METHOD. A total of 124 children ages 7–11 recruited from a sample of convenience and a subsample of 17 parents participated in this study. RESULTS. Reliability estimates yielded moderate correlations for internal consistency, total test intercorrelations, and test–retest reliability. Validity estimates were established for content and construct validity. CONCLUSION. The results suggest that a self-report instrument yields reliable and valid measures of a child’s perceived play performance and discriminates between the play of children with and without disabilities.