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Reliability and Validity of Questionnaires to Assess Communication Skills in People With Intellectual Disabilities: A
Catriona Windsor1, Kari-Anne Bottegård Næss1, Melanie Kirmess1
1Department of Special Needs Education, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway.
Background:
Assessing communication in individuals with intellectual disabilities is essential yet challenging because of the complexity of the construct and limited availability of psychometrically robust tools. This review aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of communication questionnaires used with this population.
Method:
A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines and COSMIN definitions for validity and reliability. Five databases (Cinahl, Embase, Eric, PsycINFO and PubMed) were searched for studies published from 2000 to 2024. Inclusion criteria required questionnaires to assess communication in individuals with intellectual disabilities and report on validity or reliability. Methodological quality was appraised using the QualSyst tool.
Results:
Six questionnaires described in five studies and three manuals met the inclusion criteria. Validity evidence was more frequently reported than reliability, though both were inconsistently documented. No questionnaire demonstrated a comprehensive evaluation of validity or reliability. Content validity was often limited by a lack of stakeholder involvement.
Conclusions:
Current questionnaires show promise but require further validation. Future research should prioritise stakeholder engagement, content and structural validity to ensure an inclusive, reliable communication assessment. Prospero Id: CRD42023413902.
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