Impact of COVID‐19 on the Participation of Iranian Adolescents in Daily Life: Development and Validation of the IAPAT‐C Tool

Abstract

Background and Purpose: The present study is aimed at evaluating the effects of the COVID‐19 pandemic on Iranian adolescents’ participation in various domains of life. The electronic version of the Iranian Adolescent Participation Assessment Tool‐COVID‐19 (IAPAT‐C) was developed and validated for this purpose.Methods: This study was conducted in two phases. In the first phase, the electronic version of the IAPAT‐C was developed and validated through a methodological study involving five stages: content validity review, cognitive interviews, item analysis, structural validity assessment using confirmatory factor analysis, and reliability analysis. The tool was adapted from the previously validated IAPAT and revalidated for this study. In the second phase, the effects of COVID‐19 on adolescents’ participation were evaluated using a longitudinal one group before and after comparative design. The study involved 654 adolescents aged 13–18, and the data were analyzed using SPSS19 and G ∗Power 3 software.Results: The IAPAT‐C evaluates the participation of Iranian adolescents in 54 daily life activities before and after the COVID‐19 pandemic. It utilizes a 5‐point Likert scale and was validated through an expert panel review for content validity. Additionally, cognitive interviews with six adolescents confirmed its comprehensibility, relevance, and comprehensiveness. Item analysis, based on data from 38 participants, demonstrated strong interitem correlations (0.6–0.94) and excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha > 0.7). The tool’s structural validity was supported by confirmatory factor analysis, which showed that the measurement model was a good fit. Convergent and discriminant validity of model constructs were also confirmed. Notably, COVID‐19 significantly impacted all aspects of adolescents’ lives, except for work.Conclusion: The electronic version of the IAPAT‐C was valid and reliable. COVID‐19 significantly affected various aspects of Iranian adolescents’ daily lives. Accordingly, it is necessary to provide appropriate interventions and policies for this sensitive class.