The Adaptation of Self-Report Measures to the Needs of People With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

Persons with intellectual disabilities (ID) may have difficulties providing reliable and valid accounts of their personal experiences through self-report measures. The aim of the current study was to systematically review the peer-reviewed research literature on the adaptations needed to develop “ID-inclusive” self-report measures. A search of PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar identified 49 studies that met inclusion criteria. A GRADE-CERQual assessment was performed to determine the level of confidence in the review findings. One hundred sixty-one recommendations for the development of “ID-inclusive” self-report measures were extracted from 49 included studies. Recommendations were presented in a GRADE-CERQual Summary of Findings table, according to a five-stage model of instrument development. This review offers much-needed practical guidance for clinicians and researchers on how to develop “ID-inclusive” self-report measures. Recommendations for future research about selfreport instrument development for use with people with ID are presented.