Validity and reliability of a test of playfulness

Since play wears many faces, occupational therapists (OTs) tire concerned with the ways it may be expressed. Because adaptability is an important by-product of approaching activity in a playful manner, playfulness is a valuable outcome of occupational therapy. The Test of Playfulness (ToP) is an observational assessment requiring no special equipment. It represents a conceptualization of playfulness drawn from the literature. The purpose of this paper was to trace the development of the ToP and examine its preliminary construct and concurrent validity and inter-rater reliability. Validity and reliability were examined using the many-faceted Rasch analysis. Concurrent validity was examined by comparing children's ToP scores with their scores on the Children's Playfulness Scale. Results suggested that the ToP is both valid and reliable when applied to children, with or without disabilities, between 15 months and 10 years.