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APPENDIX: ASSET-BASED CONTEXT (ABC) MATRIX
Linda L. Wilson and Donald W. Mott
Instructions
The Asset-Based Context (ABC) Matrix is a functional assessment tool
for parents and practitioners in early childhood and family support
programs to identify existing and potential contextually meaningful and
relevant learning opportunities and activities for children. The ABC Matrix
should be completed by one or more of the child’s parents or other
primary caregivers, with the participation of an early childhood practitioner
when desired. Below are the definitions of the assessment areas
captured by the Asset-Based Context Matrix.
Activity Settings are everyday experiences, opportunities, or events
that involve a child’s interactions with people and objects providing
him or her a basis for learning about one’s own abilities (Dunst, 2001).
Activity settings are those everyday activities that happen in the different
places where children and families spend their time.
Interests are the child and family’s likes or preferences. They are
favorite toys, objects, people, or events that encourage engagement and
participation in different activity settings. Interests encourage both expression
of existing abilities and promotion of new learning.
Assets are the abilities, strengths, skills, and capabilities used to
participate in interactions with objects and people and which produce
Note. All components of this Appendix are from The Asset-Based Context
Matrix, by L. L. Wilson and D. W. Mott, 2003, Morganton, NC: Family, Infant
& Preschool Program. Copyright ©2003 by Family, Infant and Preschool
Program. This appendix may be reproduced with the permission of the Family,
Infant and Preschool Program, J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center, 300
Enola Road, Morganton, NC 28655. Reprinted with permission.
desired social and nonsocial environmental consequences and effects as
part of and because of this participation.
Functional and Meaningful Activities are interactions between
children and their social surroundings in which children use a behavior
purposefully to communicate, move, and interact with objects and people.
They also are those critical activities that are performed for the
child or necessitate the participation of another person (e.g., bathing,
dressing, eating).
Opportunity is the quantity and quality of experiences occurring
in activity settings promoting increased social and nonsocial child participation
in everyday activity (Kellegrew, 1998). Opportunity is the
number of chances and the quality of those chances that children have
in everyday activity. Opportunities set the occasion and promote participation
in everyday activities.
Participation refers to the ways in which a child takes part in everyday
activities. Participation is promoted when caregivers pay explicit
attention to opportunities promoting child behavior that is conventional
and both socially and culturally acceptable. That is, child participation
is increased in ways that provide opportunities to learn,
practice, and perfect abilities that permit a child to “fit” into his or her
social and cultural groups and settings (Dunst, 2001).
Possibilities are new opportunities and ways of participating in
everyday experiences. Possibilities build on the child and family’s existing
interests and assets, current opportunities, and participation, resulting
in new ways of interacting with objects and people, as well as
increased frequency, intensity, and variety of opportunities (Kellegrew,
1998).