How interdisciplinary pediatric practitioners choose assessments.

Background: The assessment process affects the direction and quality of the services children and youth with disabilities receive. However, little is known about how practitioners choose tools and strategies to assess clients.

Purpose: To identify processes practitioners use to gather information and choose methods of assessment in pediatric practice.

Methods: Three focus groups were held with teams of interdisciplinary pediatric practitioners. Key themes were identified.

Findings: Two primary themes emerged: "Things practitioners want to know" and "Choosing what and how to assess." Practitioners began the assessment process wanting to gather information about children and their environment. Practitioners then used the initial information to decide what and how to further assess as described by three subthemes: "fitting" the child, balancing formal and informal information, and professional context.

Implications: Practitioners generally made individualized assessment choices for each child based on the initial information they gathered and then used a balance of formal and informal assessments. However, they were more likely to formally assess children at the level of body structures and function rather than participation, and continued to rely upon such standardized assessments to meet reimbursement and policy requirements.