Development and Validation of a Quick Screening Test for Local Hong Kong Cantonese-speaking Intellectually Disabled Adults: a 10-item Checklist for use by non-professionals.

Abstract

Previous research to develop quick screening tests for intellectually disabled (ID) people has shown over-reliance on physical characteristics identification or complex apparatus set-up when designed for professional administration. This study examined another mode of operation, making use of mainly adapted conservation task-items of freely-available local coins and bank-notes set-up, with the intention to place such tools in the hands of a layman to check and assist his fellow ID adult citizen, in case of emergency missing/ lost scenarios and during work or leisure interactions.

The 68 adult ID participants, 26 females and 42 males, sought out by purpose sampling, in a rough 4:3:1 moderate/mild/borderline ratio, were administered the 13 items through friendly standardized procedures at their work or activity sites with face validity obtained through 2 Previous Focus Groups, and ecological validity checked through prior rapport-building semi-structured interviews. Total score means were statistically t-tested with those of 2 comparison groups of 50 MA-matched non-disabled children and 50 CA-matched non-disabled adults.

Item analysis of item-difficulty (p) and item-discrimination (D) values helped finalize a 10-item scale with desirable high p- (.06 to .37 except one as .53) and D- (.54 to .78) values, and Cronbach Alpha of .91 and Split-half coefficients at .91 to .97. Statistical analyses showed significant total group score means t-test differences but no gender bias.

Results were discussed on the practical functionality of whole scale and its partial usage in terms of simplicity, speed, and differentiating and motivating characters. Methodological clumsiness and possible scale misuse were spelled out as limitations. Future research was suggested for betterment.