Phonological awareness assessment test (PACOF) for pre-school children: evidence of validity and reliability

Phonological awareness problems have been identified as predictors of learning difficulties with reading and writing in
alphabetic languages. The objective of this study is to present an analysis of the psychometric properties of the Phonological
Awareness Assessment Test (PACOF), a computer-based test for assessing syllable, phoneme, and intra-syllable awareness
in pre-schoolers. Two studies were conducted to collect: (1) evidence of concurrent validity and reliability (N = 30) and
(2) evidence of predictive validity (N = 52). Significant correlations between the scores in PACOF and a different test of
phonological awareness were found. Regarding reliability, test-retest results indicated a high stability in the scores over time.
Concerning predictive validity, the results revealed that scores on the PACOF and on each of its three sub-scales obtained at
the end of preschool predict future reading and writing performance. These findings suggest that the test is a reliable and
valid measure to assess phonological awareness in pre-schoolers.
Se ha comprobado que los problemas de conciencia fonológica predicen las dificultades de aprendizaje de la lectura y la
escritura en lenguas alfabéticas. El objetivo de este estudio es analizar las propiedades psicométricas del Test de Evaluación
de la Conciencia Fonológica (PACOF), una prueba informatizada para evaluar la conciencia silábica, fonética e intrasilábica
en niños de preescolar. Se realizaron dos estudios para recoger: (1) pruebas de fiabilidad y validez concurrente (
N
=
30) y (2) de validez predictiva (
N
= 52). Se encontró correlación significativa entre las puntuaciones en el PACOF y otra
prueba estandarizada de conciencia fonológica. En cuanto a la fiabilidad, los resultados del test-retest destacan una gran
estabilidad en las puntuaciones a lo largo del tiempo. Por lo que respecta a la validez predictiva, los resultados revelaron
que las puntuaciones en el PACOF y en cada una de sus tres subescalas obtenidas al final de preescolar predicen el futuro rendimiento en lectura y escritura. Estos resultados sugieren que la prueba es una medida fiable y válida para evaluar la conciencia fonológica en niños de preescolar.
This study was financially supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science (FCT) and Technology and the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education through national funds within the framework of the Research Centre on Child Studies (UIDB/CED/00317/2020).