title: Operationalisation of quality of life for adults with severe disabilities.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The operationalisation of quality of life for people with more severe disabilities has been acknowledged in the published research for more than two decades. This study aims to contribute to our knowledge and understanding of the quality of life of adults with severe disabilities by developing a set of quality of life indicators appropriate to this population using a Delphi method and the eight-domain conceptual model proposed by Schalock & Verdugo (2002).
  
  
  METHODS
  The participating panel in the Delphi method included 12 experts who evaluated each proposed item according to four criteria: suitability, importance, observability and sensitivity. Descriptive analyses were used to select the best items in each of the four rounds of this Delphi study, as well as examining the coefficients of concordance that were calculated for the final pool of items.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The four rounds of the Delphi study resulted in a final pool of 118 items (91 that were considered valid in the first round plus 27 items proposed, reformulated or discussed in the following rounds). Importance and sensitivity were the criteria that received the highest and lowest ratings, respectively, but also the ones that had the highest and lowest mean coefficients of concordance. Experts showed the strongest agreement for items related to material well-being, while the weakest was found for items related to personal development.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study further contributes to our understanding of how to operationalise and measure quality of life in adults with severe disabilities. The item pool generated may prove helpful in the development of instruments for the measurement of quality of life-related outcomes in this population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Oviedo, Plaza Feijoo, s/n., Oviedo, 33003, Spain.
authors.forename: L E
authors.initials: LE
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Valladolid, Paseo de Belén 1, Campus Miguel Delibes, Valladolid, 47011, Spain.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Arias
authors.affiliation: Institute on Community Integration (INICO), University of Salamanca, Avda. de la Merced, 109-131, Salamanca, 37005, Spain.
authors.forename: M Á
authors.initials: MÁ
authors.lastname: Verdugo
authors.affiliation: Nisonger Center, The Ohio State University, 1581 Dodd Dr, Columbus, OH, 43210, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Tassé
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Social Work, University of Toronto, 246 Bloor Street W, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 1V4, Canada.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003697:Delphi Technique; D006233:Persons with Disabilities / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Delphi; behavioural measurement methods; intellectual disability; learning disability; quality of life