Evaluating quality of support from the perspective of persons with intellectual disabilities: A review

Abstract

Increasing importance is attached to the involvement and participation of persons with intellectual disabilities in planning and evaluating support and services. This can be explained by the changed relationship between clients and professionals and by the shift to a person‐centred approach of services that aims to provide responsive support to assist people in achieving valued ‘quality of life’ outcomes. Different strategies of quality evaluation from the perspective of persons with intellectual disabilities are discussed, including methodological issues concerning satisfaction research and the proxy‐approach. An overview is given of studies in which persons with intellectual disabilities were questioned about the quality of their life and supports. Specific attention is paid to the association of quality of life outcomes with type of service provision and support characteristics. Finally, some future challenges are indicated to promote user involvement in quality evaluation, from the perspective of researchers, service providers and persons with intellectual disabilities themselves.