Identifying school challenges following concussion: Psychometric evidence for the Concussion Learning Assessment & School Survey, 3rd Ed. (CLASS-3).

• DOI: 10.1007/s40817-020-00092-5
• Publication Date: 2020-10-09T14:02:47Z
• Authors: Gerard A. Gioia; Talin Babikian; Bradley J. Barney; Sara P. D. Chrisman; Lawrence J. Cook; Nyaz Didehbani; Rachel Richards; Maegan D. Sady; Erin Stolz; Christopher Vaughan; Frederick Rivara; Christopher Giza
• Keywords: 03 medical and health sciences; 0302 clinical medicine; 4. Education

Challenges with school learning following a concussion have become recognized more so over the past decade. Evidence-based assessment tools to identify these clinical problems and needs can facilitate critical supports for the recovering student. The Concussion Learning Assessment & School Survey, 3rd Edition (CLASS-3), developed to address this need, was administered to student participants (n = 390, ages 10–18 years) and their parents (n = 132, ages 5–18 years). We present sources of psychometric evidence regarding the reliability/precision and validity/accuracy in support of the interpretation of the four CLASS-3 scale scores (General Academic Concern, Academic Problems, School Stresses, Academic Subjects). For self- and parent-report versions, each scale presents strong evidence of internal consistency, moderate relationships between parent and child ratings, and adequate stability of the scores over time for a clinically recovering sample. Exploratory factor analysis of each scale reveals a strong unidimensional structure while patterns of intercorrelations of the CLASS-3 scales with other measures demonstrate evidence of logical relationships with post-concussion symptoms and executive functions. Sensitivity of the scale scores to change over time is demonstrated as well as differentiating recovered from non-recovered patients. Overall, the self- and parent-report versions of the CLASS-3 scales provide reasonable psychometric evidence to consider it as a clinical measure to define and track the academic needs of the student following concussion.