EASI Praxis Tests: Age Trends and Internal Consistency

IMPORTANCE: Ayres Sensory Integration® is an evidence-based practice that requires a comprehensive assessment before intervention. The Evaluation in Ayres Sensory Integration (EASI) is intended for this purpose, and psychometric data are needed to determine its validity and reliability.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the internal consistency of four EASI Praxis tests and their validity as developmental measures.

DESIGN: Cross-sectional developmental design.

SETTING: Participants' homes.

PARTICIPANTS: Typically developing children and young adolescents, ages 6 to 12 yr (N = 234). Outcomes and Measures: We analyzed four EASI Praxis tests using Cronbach's α, Pearson correlation coefficients, and one-way analysis of variance to explore internal consistency and developmental trends.

RESULTS: The findings indicate moderate to high internal consistency for all tests. Significant correlations between age and praxis scores indicate that the EASI Praxis tests are sensitive to developmental changes.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: Occupational therapists can have confidence in the internal consistency and sensitivity to developmental changes of these praxis scores through early adolescence. What This Article Adds: Occupational therapists administering EASI Praxis tests can have confidence that they consistently measure praxis ability and are sensitive to developmental changes across ages 6 to 12 yr. The results suggest that praxis continues to develop into early adolescence, and adolescents may benefit from assessment and intervention targeting praxis ability.