Internal Structure of the Children Helping Out: Responsibilities, Expectations, and Supports (CHORES) Measure Louise Dunn, Lı ´via C. Magalhaes, Marisa Cotta Mancini MeSH TERMS  activities of daily living  adolescent  child  housekeeping  reproducibility of results  task performance and analysis Louise Dunn, ScD, OTR/L, is Associate Professor, Brenau University, Gainesville, GA 30501; ldunn@brenau. edu. At the time of this study, she was Assistant Professor, University of Utah, Salt Lake City. Lı ´via C. Magalhaes, PhD, OTR, is Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. Marisa Cotta Mancini, ScD, OT, is Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Graduate Program in Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil. The purpose of this study was to examine the internal structure of the Children Helping Out: Responsibilities, Expectations, and Supports (CHORES), an assessment of household task participation for children. Rasch analysis was used to examine patterns of item response and scale structure with data collected from care- givers of 132 children and youth ages 6–14 yr with and without disabling conditions. Internal consistency was strong for the total measure and the subscales. The items in both subscales fit the measurement model, and the item difficulty order matched the expected pattern from harder to easier household task performance and degree of caregiver assistance. The sample distribution in the hierarchical continuum showed that younger participants and those with physical disabilities tended to score lower. Some inconsistencies in rating scale use suggest a need for further clarification of the scoring criteria for measurement coherence. Dunn, L., Magalhaes, L. C., & Mancini, M. C. (2014). Internal structure of the Children Helping Out: Responsibilities, Expectations, and Supports (CHORES) measure. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 1–11. http://dx. doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2014.010454 P articipation is a key predictor of quality of life and preparation for independent living (Kanne et al., 2011; Law et al., 2006). Household task participation warrants assessment because daily living activities are predictive of community living and greater independence for people of all ability levels (Kanne et al., 2011; Smith, Maenner, & Seltzer, 2012). Chores are common tasks that take place frequently in all homes, and participation affords a way to examine skills and social participation (Goodnow, 1996; Paradise & Rogoff, 2009). In addition, parents have reported that participation in domestic tasks is an important activity for their children (Adolfsson, Malmqvist, Pless, & Granuld, 2011). Engagement in household tasks helps prepare children for future living in the community; such preparation occurs largely within the home (Anderson-Moore, Chalk, Scarpa, & Vandivere, 2002; Paradise & Rogoff, 2009; Reid et al., 2011). Thus, active involvement in domestic routines fosters children’s learning of household tasks (Goodnow, 1996; Larson, 2004; Rogoff, 2003). The learning may be tacit, such as by observing others perform household tasks, or more explicit, such as with direct instruction and supervision. Caregivers expect children to assume more responsibility for household tasks as they age (Hofferth & Sandberg, 2001; Rogoff, 2003). Changes in re- sponsibility are evident in the transfer of accountability for task completion from the caregiver to the child (Rogoff, 2003). Documenting these changes leading to children’s independence helps families adjust expectations and identify strategies to involve and engage children in daily tasks. In addition, exploration of children’s engagement in these tasks helps increase occupational therapy practitioners’ understanding of how to prepare children of all abilities for future independent or interdependent living. The American Journal of Occupational Therapy 1