Recording equipment and procedures

Two portable cameras were used to record the UI and the participant or the FI and participant. Both audio and video were used for the purposes of accuracy and representativeness. Also, the recorded audio-visual data will be included in the database. One camera was placed in a corner, attached to the ceiling of the room and was focused on the interaction area. It provided a complete view of the interactions between the participant and the UI or the FI. The other camera followed the participant and focused on all UI/participant and FI/participant interactions. A camera operator was trained to focus the camera on the UI/participant or the FI/participant interactions. Two directional microphones were used. One was fixed to the ceiling and the other was on the mobile camera as it captured conversations. Table 2.3 shows all details of all the relevant equipment that was used.

Table 2.3 Recording equipment details.

Equipment Unit Model

PANASONIC DVD Video Recorder Model No. DMR-E20

PANASONIC System Controller Model No. WV-CV161C

PANASONIC Color CCTV Camera Model No. WV-CS854B

4-Channel Personal Stereo Mixer Model No. TS-4540 Phantom Powering Unit (Microphone) Model No. N66E-N62E CYP Picture In Picture Controller Unit Model No. C1P-3

88 Figure 2.3 JISH control room

Figure 2.4 Camera 1 Figure 2.5 Camera 2

89 2.2.5 Materials used in the sessions

Materials in the room were prepared in such a way as to stimulate the participant‟s attention and encourage him to start a conversation. All the objects were out of the participant‟s reach in order to encourage him to start the conversation with the UI or the FI (e.g., transparent container, toy car with remote control). Age appropriate toys were provided such as:

 Garage with different sizes of vehicles and trucks.

 Castle and different famous cartoon characters.

 Fishing game.

 Plastic Bowling set.

 Flash cards that included the main semantic groups (i.e., body parts, animals, food items, and transportation)

 Bubbles.

 Computer and CDs.

90

Figure 2.7 JISH materials bank, side view

2.2.6 Procedures

Once the protocol was approved by the ethics committee the study commenced. The researcher then applied for the equipment needed to observe and record the UI/participant and FI/participant interaction. As soon as parents agreed to participate in the study, the interaction was recorded on the same day as the parent‟s interview. All participants were sitting facing the camera directly to facilitate easier scoring. All interactions were taped on DVDs using two video cameras. These procedures yielded a 45-minute sample for every ADHD and TD participants, a 30-minute sample with UI and a 15-minute sample with FI for every ADHD and TD participant was used in the study. For all participants the videotaping procedures were exactly the same. The data collection procedure included six steps (see figure 2.8).

91 Figure 2.8 Study procedures

The researcher met with the participants individually, explained the study to them, and obtained their approval to participate in the study by reading and signing the consent form.

Step 1

Step 6

Step 5

Step 4

Step 3

Step 2

An UI escorted the participant and his mother from the reception area to the therapy room. The mother left her son in front of the therapy room and went to the observation area. All process was done under the supervision of the main researcher via the control room.

All participants (ADHD and typically developing) underwent hearing screening at JISH audiology division.

Only typically developing participants underwent speech and language screening at JISH speech and language pathology division that was done by the researcher.

An UI collected a 30-mintue verbal sample from the participants using free interaction by following the child‟s lead. During interaction, free play with a variety of action figures (dolls, puppets, transportation set, animal set, food item set and vehicle set). The child was allowed to freely select from these toys. Conversation between child and UI typically included information about the child's family and interests.

Following that, the FI-participant free interaction took place in the same therapy room for 15-mintue.

92 2.3 Analysis

All coding and analysis processes for all participants‟ samples were done by the researcher only. Subsequently a reliability test was carried out (see section 2.3.3 below). The researcher followed the techniques of the categorical observational tool (Hegde, 2003). This is a closed system that defines in advance the target categories into which all participants‟ verbal behaviours are coded by the researcher during the observation for the recorded audio-visual data to analyse the sample. The coded categories are then added together, so that observations can be described quantitatively. The measurements included the number of turns, number of words per turn, number of instances of topic initiation, and number of instances of topic maintenance. A turn was counted as any topically coherent spoken vocal expression that included one word or more from the participant that was directed towards the interlocutor. If the participant spoke about a topic and subsequently introduced a new topic or comment without input from the interlocutor, two turns were coded for the participant. For the number of words, the researcher counted the number of words in each turn. For topic initiation, the researcher counted the following behaviours as topic initiation: greetings on arrival and departure e.g., saying alsalumalukuim (Islamic greeting), invitation to interact or share activities, asking a direct question, spontaneous naming, commenting, and saying something descriptive (e.g., “big”, “cool”). For topic maintenance, the researcher counted the following behaviours as topic maintenance: relevant comments on the topic and asking questions to maintain the topic.Thus if the child asked two separate questions about the same item, the second question would be counted as an instance of topic maintenance.

93 2.3.1 Coding system

The analysis of the audio-visual taped data relied on a coding system that was considered to represent the target communicative behaviours and their frequency of occurrence (See Appendix B that includes coding protocol) during the recorded audio visual data. The coding system that was developed considered the key aspects of the targeted verbal behaviours, i.e. number of utterances, number of words per utterance, topic initiation, and topic maintenance.

Table 2.4 Frequency of occurrence form Turn

number

Time from Start of interaction Number of words in turn Topic initiation Topic maintenance 2.3.2 Keys of codes

The data analysis for this study relied on the use of videotaping for the different aspects of interaction between the UI and the participant and the FI and the participant. The video sample was analysed using the profiling coding system shown in the table 2.4.