Choosing a measure of support need: Implications for research and policy

Background: The paradigm surrounding the delivery of care for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) is shifting from a deficit-based approach to a support-based approach. However, it is unclear whether measures of support act as a proxy for adaptive functioning. Methods: A sample of 40 staff or family members of individuals with ID completed the Supports Intensity Scale and the Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised, Short Form. Correlations were used to examine the relationship between these scales. Results: The subscales of the Supports Intensity Scale as well as the overall support needs index were highly correlated with both the Broad Independence W score and the support score (which reflects both maladaptive and adaptive behaviours) of the Scales of Independent Behavior-Revised. Conclusions: The strong correlations between these two scales confirm previous findings that current measures of support and measures of adaptive behaviour tap into the same underlying construct. These findings have implications for the development, use and interpretation of research and planning tools.