The measurement of reliable and valid indicators of early child development is necessary for assessing phenomena and is useful in the monitoring of ongoing efforts to eradicate inequalities in the social determinants of health. There is an increasing awareness of the contextual, cultural, and developmental influences on constructs used in early child development (ECD) research. Using a measurement perspective, this dissertation examined the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in early child development research. A construct violates the principle of invariance when two persons from different populations who are theoretically identical on the construct being measured have different scores on it. This dissertation consists of three journal-style manuscripts (published or under review) that were used as examples to address the importance of the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in ECD research using data from two unique areas: autism and executive functioning. The three data sets were collected on pre-school children with parents and or teachers as informants and were chosen to represent different levels of data collection – clinical, community, and population. These data sets allowed for the examination of measurement invariance by type of informant, sex, and age of child. The results from the three studies illustrate the importance of assessing measurement invariance in ECD and whether or not the instruments examined can be used to assess sub-group differences with confidence. A lack of measurement invariance found for two of the studies, suggests that observed group differences in latent constructs could be attributed, in part, to measurement bias. More importantly, bias in the measurement of the constructs of severity of social impairment symptoms in autism, and executive functioning across groups could have an impact on services such as patient treatment. These biases could also influence public policy development, particularly when there may be an underlying need for a cross-group approach where belief systems may affect the meaning and structure of constructs. In summary, measurement invariance should be a prerequisite for making any meaningful comparisons across groups. A requirement of establishing measurement invariance should be included in the guidelines for comparative research studies as a necessary first step before an instrument is adopted for use.

The measurement of reliable and valid indicators of early child development is necessary for assessing phenomena and is useful in the monitoring of ongoing efforts to eradicate inequalities in the social determinants of health. There is an increasing awareness of the contextual, cultural, and developmental influences on constructs used in early child development (ECD) research. Using a measurement perspective, this dissertation examined the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in early child development research. A construct violates the principle of invariance when two persons from different populations who are theoretically identical on the construct being measured have different scores on it. This dissertation consists of three journal-style manuscripts (published or under review) that were used as examples to address the importance of the issue of measurement invariance and psychometric validity in ECD research using data from two unique areas: autism and executive functioning. The three data sets were collected on pre-school children with parents and or teachers as informants and were chosen to represent different levels of data collection – clinical, community, and population. These data sets allowed for the examination of measurement invariance by type of informant, sex, and age of child. The results from the three studies illustrate the importance of assessing measurement invariance in ECD and whether or not the instruments examined can be used to assess sub-group differences with confidence. A lack of measurement invariance found for two of the studies, suggests that observed group differences in latent constructs could be attributed, in part, to measurement bias. More importantly, bias in the measurement of the constructs of severity of social impairment symptoms in autism, and executive functioning across groups could have an impact on services such as patient treatment. These biases could also influence public policy development, particularly when there may be an underlying need for a cross-group approach where belief systems may affect the meaning and structure of constructs. In summary, measurement invariance should be a prerequisite for making any meaningful comparisons across groups. A requirement of establishing measurement invariance should be included in the guidelines for comparative research studies as a necessary first step before an instrument is adopted for use.

Les délétions et les duplications délétères (Variations de nombre de copies, CNV) sont identifiés dans environ 11% des individus référés dans des cliniques du neurodéveloppement pédiatrique. Certains CNVs récurrents ont été formellement associés avec des troubles du neurodéveloppement, mais la majorité des CNVs sont non-récurrents et donc trop rares pour être évalués par des études d’association. Dans cette optique, nous avons récemment développé une nouvelle approche pour estimer l’effet des CNVs non-documentés sur le quotient intellectuel non-verbal (QINV) et nous visons étendre cette approche pour l’appliquer sur une mesure de traits autistiques. Nous avons identifié les CNVs dans deux cohortes d’autisme du Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) et du MSSNG, dans leurs apparentés de premier-degré, dans une cohorte du neurodéveloppement et dans une population générale. Des modèles statistiques intégrant les scores des gènes inclus dans les CNVs ont été utilisés pour expliquer leur effet sur l’intelligence générale et sur la réciprocité sociale. Les délétions et les duplications diminuent le QINV et l’effet des duplications est 3 fois inférieur à celui des délétions. L’effet différentiel est aussi observé pour la réciprocité sociale avec un ratio d’altération de 2:1 pour les délétions et les duplications et cet effet est principalement expliqué par le QINV. Les estimés de notre modèle pour l’intelligence générale et la réciprocité sociale concordent bien avec des observations déjà publiés. Nos modèles entraînés sur des CNVs couvrant >4,500 gènes suggèrent que l’effet des CNVs sur la cognition et la réciprocité sociale est dû à leurs propriétés polygéniques. Ces modèles pourront aider dans l’interprétation des CNVs en clinique. / Deleterious deletions and duplications (copy number variations, CNVs) are identified in up to 11% of individuals referred to neurodevelopmental pediatric clinics. However, only few recurrent CNVs have been formally associated with neurodevelopmental disorders because the majority are too rare to perform individual association studies. We recently developed a new framework to estimate the effect size of undocumented CNVs on non-verbal intelligence quotient (NVIQ) and sought to extend this approach to another score measuring autistic traits. We identified CNVs in an autism sample from the Simons Simplex Collection (SSC) and MSSNG, in their first-degree relatives, in a neurodevelopmental cohort and in individuals from an unselected population. Statistical models integrating scores of the genes encompassed in the CNVs were used to explain their effect on general intelligence and on social responsiveness. Deletions and duplications decreased NVIQ and the effect of duplications was three-fold smaller than deletions. There was also a differential effect on social responsiveness: the ratio of the impairment conferred by deletions and duplications was 2:1 and this effect was mainly driven by NVIQ. Models estimates for general intelligence and social responsiveness were consistent with previously published observations. Our models, trained on CNVs encompassing >4,500 genes, suggest highly polygenic properties of CNVs with respect to cognition and social responsiveness. These models will help interpreting CNVs identified in the clinic.

No description available.

Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka hur brukare påverkas av att det finns hundar i form av djurassisterade insatser i den kommunala, dagliga LSSverksamheten i Dalarnas län. Det är en kvalitativ studie som inleddes genom en kvantitativ kartläggning rörande förekomsten av hundar eller andra djur i alla kommunala LSS-verksamheter i Dalarna. Den begränsas till personalens perspektiv på effekten av hundassisterade insatser gällande målgruppen och resultaten baseras på halvstrukturerade intervjuer med personal från samtliga kommunala dagverksamheter i Dalarna, där brukare erbjuds hundassisterade insatser. Resultaten har analyserats med hjälp av tidigare forskning, KASAM och social responsivitet. De visar hur och att den hundassisterade insatsen främjar psykiskt och fysiskt välbefinnande samt motiverar verksamhetens brukare till att utveckla fysiska, psykiska och sociala färdigheter. Jag fann belägg för att människor mår bra av att umgås med hundar och att brukare drar fördel av hundassisterade insatser – på många olika sätt. / The aim of the present study was to investigate how users are influenced by animal-assisted interventions with dogs in municipal day-care centres (developing centres or working places for persons with autism and/or intellectual disabilities) in Dalarna County. This is a qualitative study, initiated through a quantitative mapping concerning the presence of dogs or other animals in all municipal LSS day-care centres in Dalarna. Its limited to the staff perspective on the impact of dog-assisted interventions on the target group, and results are based on semistructured interviews with staff from all municipal day-care centres in Dalarna, where users are offered dog-assisted interventions. The results where analysed through previous research, KASAM and social responsiveness. They show that the dog-assisted interventions promote mental/physical wellbeing and motivate the users of the day-care centres to develop physical, mental and social skills. I found evidence that users benefit from animal-assisted interventions with dogs – in many ways.