Psychometric Evaluation of the Parent Effort Scale.

The sample overrepresented wealthier, White, and suburban families, so results may not apply to less well-resourced, urban, rural, or culturally diverse families. The study included parents of children aged 2 to 7 years, so it does not show how the scale performs for older children or other age groups. The scale was evaluated in parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and neurotypical children, not in parents of children with other neurodevelopmental conditions. The Parent Effort Scale measures parents' perceived effort, not the child's capacity to complete the activity. The study evaluated measurement properties, not whether interventions reduce effort or improve participation. Some subgroup counts for scale scores were 165 parents of children with autism spectrum disorder and 139 parents of neurotypical children, while the participant description stated 167 and 137.

Do not read high Parent Effort Scale scores as proof that a child cannot participate or that a therapy reduced effort. The scale measures parents' perceived effort, not child capacity, and the study did not test intervention effects.