Personal Outcomes Scale for persons with intellectual disability in Denmark: A preliminary study on validity and...

Area of Science:

• Psychometrics
• Intellectual Disability Research
• Quality of Life Assessment

Background:

• Quality-of-life (QOL) assessments are vital for individuals with intellectual disability.
• Culturally adapted QOL instruments are lacking globally.
• This study addresses this gap by examining the Personal Outcomes Scale in Denmark.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Personal Outcomes Scale in a Danish context.
• To assess both self-report and other-report measures.
• To explore cultural adaptations for QOL measurement.

Main Methods:

• Collected data from 102 individuals with intellectual disability and 72 support workers.
• Examined internal consistency, inter-rater reliability, and known groups validity.
• Utilized self-report and other-report data.

Main Results:

• The Personal Outcomes Scale demonstrated adequate internal consistency (self-reports: α=.80; other-reports: α=.87).
• Domain-level analysis revealed cultural variations impacting QOL measurement.
• Inter-rater reliability varied, and known groups validity showed differences based on disability and age.

Conclusions:

• Preliminary validation suggests welfare state structures affect QOL measurement.
• Specific areas require cultural adaptation for accurate assessment.
• Further validation studies are recommended to refine the instrument.