Search

The aim of this study was to develop a transcultural adaptation of the Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS) in French and to perform a field evaluation of the adapted version of the tool (DABS-F). Eight experts in intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and two professional translators formed two committees to translate the instrument. Thirty-four independent experts in IDD rated the clarity and relevance of the DABS-F. Results indicated complete agreement between the two translation committees and also demonstrated very satisfactory levels of clarity and relevance for the DABS-F. The latter result can be considered as evidence of the content validity of the adapted tool. Adjustments for the few items that presented less satisfactory results are discussed.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to adapt the Health of the Nation Outcome Scales for people with Learning Disabilities into French (F-HoNOS-LD) and to examine its validity and reliability. Method: Sixty-six adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) admitted to a psychiatric hospital took part in the study. Clinicians used the F-HoNOS-LD and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) to test all of them at hospital admission. A subsample (n = 34) was tested with the F-HoNOS-LD a second time at the end of the hospital stay. Results: The French version of the instrument showed evidence of convergent validity with the ABC and very good internal consistency. Repeated measures analyses revealed -- as expected -- a systematic decrease in F-HoNOS-LD scores. Conclusion: Results of this study suggest that the F-HoNOS-LD is a reliable and valid instrument to measure clinical outcomes among French-speaking adults with ID.

Background: Social vulnerability refers to the ways in which an individual is at risk of being victimised. The Test of Interpersonal Competences and Personal Vulnerability [TICPV] is an Australian assessment tool designed for adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) [Wilson et al. (1996). Vulnerability to criminal exploitation: Influence of interpersonal competence differences among people with mental retardation. "Journal of Intellectual Disability Research," 40, 8-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2788.1996.tb00597.x]. It aims to evaluate their social vulnerability. This study aims to conduct a preliminary cross-cultural validation of the TV-22, the French-language, enhanced and accessible version of the TICPV. Method: Twenty-nine French-speaking adults with ID answered the TV-22. The reliability and validity of this measure were assessed. Results: Performance on the test was shown to be internally consistent (Cronbach's [alpha] = 0.89; McDonald's [Omega] = 0.93), stable over time (r[subscript s](29) = 0.81, p <0.01) and a valid measure of social vulnerability. Conclusions: Results provide psychometric support for the use of the TV-22. Further research is needed to confirm these results with a larger sample.

Background: Being aware of the different social expectations linked to the principal lifespan stages (i.e., childhood, adulthood, old age) is critical to an individual's inclusion in the community and to developing appropriate social behaviours. However, little research exists on this topic in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities. Method: Sixty-nine adults with intellectual disability (ID) took part in the study. They completed a new task specifically developed to assess lifespan stages recognition among persons with ID. Participants' verbal and nonverbal reasoning skills were also assessed. Results: The results of this study suggest that the performance of adults with ID in recognising different lifespan stages is related to specific cognitive abilities and to the type of material used to test this performance. Conclusion: Implications of these results and the possible use of the task in educational settings are discussed.

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) commonly live in specialised residential settings. Data collected from these adults are often nested. The aim of this study is to examine the impact of this data structure. Method: Referent caregivers completed the Reiss Screen for Maladaptive Behaviour for each of the 571 adults with ID who participated in the study. Single-level and two-level multilevel modelling was compared in the context of confirmatory factor analysis and group difference analysis. Results: For both types of analysis, the two-level solution showed a better fit. Furthermore, all group differences highlighted using the one-level model disappeared, i.e., became non-significant, in the two-level solution. Conclusions: It is important to control for nested data when analysing mental health in adults with ID. Otherwise, the risk of underestimating the standard errors and obtaining biased results in significance tests appears greater, as was the case in the present study.

Little is known about the behavioral characteristics of adults with Down syndrome (DS) without dementia. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the psychopathology and social behavior among adults with DS compared to adults with nonspecific intellectual disability (NSID). Thirty-four adults with DS were individually matched with 34 adults with NSID for raw scores on a task that measured nonverbal reasoning ability. Participants' caregivers completed 3 questionnaires assessing mental illness, behavior problems, and social behavior. The group with DS presented fewer difficulties associated with mental illness and behavior problems, as well as better adapted social behavior, than the group with NSID despite a similar level of nonverbal reasoning ability. Aging in the group with DS was found to be positively correlated with behavioral signs of depression and autistic symptoms. These findings highlight the specificity of the behavioral profile of adults with DS without dementia.