Using content analysis to link texts on assessment and intervention to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - version for Children and Youth (ICF-CY).

OBJECTIVE To explore how content analysis can be used together with linking rules to link texts on assessment and intervention to the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health - version for children and youth (ICF-CY). METHODS Individual habilitation plans containing texts on assessment and intervention for children with disabilities and their families were linked to the ICF-CY using content ana-lysis. Texts were first divided into meaning units in order to extract meaningful concepts. Meaningful concepts that were difficult to link to ICF-CY codes were grouped, and coding schemes with critical attributes were developed. Meaningful concepts that could not be linked to the ICF-CY were assigned to the categories "not-definable" and "not-covered", using coding schemes with mutually exclusive categories. RESULTS The size of the meaning units selected resulted in different numbers and contents of meaningful concepts. Coding schemes with critical attributes of ICF-CY codes facilitated the linking of meaningful concepts to the most appropriate ICF-CY codes. Coding schemes with mutually exclusive categories facilitated the classification of meaningful concepts that could or could not be linked to the ICF-CY. CONCLUSION Content analysis techniques can be applied together with linking rules in order to link texts on assessment and intervention to the ICF-CY.