Measuring support needs in children with motor disability: Validity and utility of the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS-C)

Background: It is unknown whether the Supports Intensity Scale-Children’s version (SIS-C) is valid and useful to assess support needs for children with motor and intellectual disabilities. Aims: (a) To assess the structural validity of the SIS-C using factor analyses in a sample of children with mot...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Aguayo Romero, Virginia, Verdugo Alonso, Miguel Ángel, Amor González, Antonio Manuel, Arias González, Victor Benito
Format: article
Status:Published version
Publication Date:2019
Country:España
Institution:Universidad de Salamanca (USAL)
Repository:GREDOS. Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Salamanca
OAI Identifier:oai:gredos.usal.es:10366/155078
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10366/155078
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:Children
Support needs
Motor disability
Intellectual disability
Assessment
Description
Summary:Background: It is unknown whether the Supports Intensity Scale-Children’s version (SIS-C) is valid and useful to assess support needs for children with motor and intellectual disabilities. Aims: (a) To assess the structural validity of the SIS-C using factor analyses in a sample of children with motor disabilities; and (b) to analyze the SIS-C’s reliability and its discriminative capacity in children with different levels of motor function. Methods and Procedures: A cross-sectional design was used to assess 210 children (aged 5–16 years). Among them, 88% had an intellectual disability and 84% had cerebral palsy, with variations in mobility (Gross Motor Function Classification System; level V: 56.19%), handling of objects (Manual Ability Classification System; level V: 38.09%), and communicating (Communication Function Classification System; level V: 42.86%). Outcomes and Results: The model with seven support needs factors and three method factors showed the best fit. The support needs model was reliable and indicated high convergent validity. However, the SIS-C scores showed a strong ceiling effect in children with more significant limitations in gross and fine motor functions. Conclusions and Implications: The seven-dimensional model of support needs could be replicated in children with motor disabilities. However, the usefulness of SIS-C is limited in discriminating between children with greater restrictions in mobility and handling of objects.