There is a scarcity of validated Spanish-language social–emotional assessments, despite recognition that social–emotional competence is essential for a child’s success and well-being. Addressing this gap, investigators at Rush University Medical Center are conducting a study to establish the reliability, validity, and cultural acceptability of a Spanish-language version of VESIP, a web-based social reasoning assessment, for use by Spanish-speaking English language learner (ELL) students. VESIP-Spanish (VESIP-Sp) engages students through animated social situations within a simulated school environment that was transadapted from an English-language version.
Rush is presently looking for school district partners who are interested in administering VESIP-Sp to their ELL students and helping to establish the reliability and validity of VESIP-Sp in this population. Partnering school districts will have free access to the English- and Spanish-language versions of VESIP for their own program evaluation purposes in exchange for VESIP-Sp data and limited sociodemographic information.
They are also recruiting a few students to more directly participate in the research by completing VESIP-Sp during a “think aloud” session, where consented students will talk through their assessment experience one on one with research staff over Zoom, giving their impressions of the cultural acceptability of VESIP-Sp and information about what influenced their response choices.
Focus groups of students, parents, and school-based stakeholders will also be convened to give feedback on VESIP-Sp. Participation opportunities will be available in subsequent project years as well.
The goal of this study is to demonstrate the reliability, validity, and cultural acceptability of VESIP-Sp for Spanish-speaking ELL students or to identify specific areas for improvement within the existing program.
If you are interested in participating, please contact study coordinator Ashley Karls, BA ([email protected], 847-763-7963), or research assistant Dennis Sotelo Martinez, BA (dennis[email protected], 312-563-7611), for more information.
