Quantifying the process and outcomes of person-centered planning

Area of Science:

• Developmental Disabilities Research
• Health Services Research
• Psychometrics

Background:

• Person-centered planning (PCP) is widely adopted in developmental disabilities services.
• There is a lack of systematic methods to evaluate the effectiveness of PCP processes and outcomes.
• Assessing PCP is crucial for improving service delivery and individual support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate instruments for systematically measuring person-centered planning.
• To create reliable indices for assessing both the process and outcomes of PCP.
• To provide tools for enhancing the integrity and evaluation of PCP interventions.

Main Methods:

• Development of three distinct instruments to capture various facets of PCP.
• Construction of a Process Index and an Outcome Index using a combined rational-empirical approach.
• Assessment of instrument reliability (test-retest) and internal consistency, alongside correlational and factor analyses.

Main Results:

• The developed instruments demonstrated adequate test-retest reliability and internal consistency.
• Correlations and factor analysis supported the conceptual framework and item classifications.
• The created Process and Outcome Indices showed promise for measuring PCP.

Conclusions:

• The new instruments provide a reliable means to assess person-centered planning in developmental disabilities.
• These tools can inform intervention integrity, program evaluation, and organizational performance.
• Further research can utilize these measures to advance the understanding and application of PCP.