Collaborating With an Expert Panel to Establish the Content Validity of an Intervention for Preschoolers With Language Impairment

Oct 15, 2026

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Expanding on prior content validity research, this study develops an expository book reading intervention for preschool students with language impairment and applies content validity principles to its creation. The work explains how collaboration with an expert panel was approached in a healthcare-informed manner and details how feedback was gathered, analyzed, and incorporated. The article offers a practical, step-by-step account for both practitioners and researchers to validate an educational intervention’s intended application.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages14

Reading Time35 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

Content Validity and Definitions

Context of the Book Reading Intervention

Dialogic book reading and language skills

Informational/expository text needs

TOPS project and intervention structure

Content Validity and Intervention Development

Collaborating With an Expert Panel to Establish the Content Validity of an Intervention for Preschoolers With Language Impairment Communication Disorders Quarterly 2020, Vol. 41(2) 86–99 © Hammill Institute on Disabilities 2018 Article reuse guidelines: [sagepub.com/journals-permissions](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[ ](sagepub.com/journals-permissions)[DOI: 10.1177/1525740118795158](DOI: 10.1177/1525740118795158)[ ](DOI: 10.1177/1525740118795158)[cdq.sagepub.com](cdq.sagepub.com) Megan Schneider Dinnesen, EdD 1, Arnold Olszewski, PhD2, Allison Breit-Smith, PhD 1, and Ying Guo, PhD 1 Abstract Expanding on the extant body of research on content validity, this study applied the tenets of content validity research to the development of an expository book reading intervention focused on science for preschool students with language impairment. This example case explains how, guided by content validity research in healthcare interventions, collaboration with an expert panel was systematically approached in the development of an educational intervention. Specifics as to how feedback was gathered and analyzed are discussed. Of practical importance for practitioners and researchers, this study provides a detailed description of how the knowledge and experience of a panel of experts was captured, analyzed, and incorporated into the development process of an educational intervention to validate its application. Keywords intervention strategies, language learning disorders, exceptionalities, 3 to 5 years age, evidence-based practices Content validity is generally defined as the extent to which components of a given assessment or program represent the construct they are intended to address (Haynes, Richard, & Kubany, 1995). Evidence of content validity can be captured using qualitative and/or quantitative methods and is typically based on the judgment of individuals deemed to be experts in the field of study being targeted. Content validity studies are most often undertaken to evaluate assessment instruments prior to their implementation with their intended audience. However, content validity may also be applied to evaluate programs, such as educational interventions, prior to their implementation in the field. Estimations of content validity seek to determine whether the items or constructs contained in the assessment or intervention being evaluated match their definition, are relevant to its purpose, and are representative of the construct being measured (Grant & Davis, 1997; Lynn, 1986; Polit & Beck, 2006) . Too often, the specifics of how experts actually helped to shape the constructs addressed are left out; the reader is left with the assurance that content validity was addressed and established, without explicit details on how this was accomplished. Therefore, this study sought to employ strategies for gathering expertise from a panel of researchers and practitioners (e.g., teachers) to inform the development of a book reading intervention designed to teach the expository language of science to preschool children with language impairment. Context of the Book Reading Intervention Nearly half of the approximately 700,000 children who receive preschool special education services in the United States are identified with a primary disability of language impairment (U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2016) . Reading disabilities in school age children have been related to identification of language impairment in young children (Catts, Fey, Tomblin,& Zhang, 2002) . Language and literacy interventions to address language impairments and decrease the likelihood of future reading difficulties are necessary. Dialogic book reading is one approach used to build language skills in preschool children (Wasik & Bond, 2001) . Teachers, therapists, and parents using this technique read interactively, including the child in discussion of the text as it is being read (Whitehurst et al., 19

FAQs

What is content validity, according to the article, and why does it matter for interventions?

Content validity refers to how well the components of an assessment or program represent the construct they are intended to address. The article explains that it is used to judge relevance, match to definitions, and representativeness before applying tools or programs in the target setting.

How is dialogic book reading positioned within the intervention context?

The article describes dialogic book reading as an approach to build language skills where teachers, therapists, and parents read interactively and involve the child in discussion during reading.

What role did the expert panel play in developing the intervention?

The study uses strategies for gathering expertise from researchers and practitioners to shape the intervention constructs. It discusses how feedback was collected and analyzed so expert knowledge could be captured, incorporated, and used to validate the educational application.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by kopisore