Validity and reliability of the INICO-FEAPS Scale: An assessment of quality of life for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities

This paper documents the validation of a comprehensive scale designed to assess quality-of-life related personal outcomes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities who receive support in social organizations. The INICO-FEAPS Scale was administered to 1627 people whose ages ranged between 16 and 72 years old. The instrument comprises 72 parallel items organized around eight quality-of-life domains in each of the two forms: a self-report and a report by others. Several internal consistence indexes showed a good reliability of the scale. CFA was used to compare the goodness-of-fit to the data of alternative models. The eight-correlated first-order factors showed the best fit to the data in comparison to the unidimensional solution and hierarchical models. The instrument serves as a helpful tool for organizations to operate as bridges to the community, develop person-centered planning and individualized support, and implement evidence-based practices for quality improvement.