Measuring perceived stress in people with intellectual disabilities: The development of a new scale

Abstract

It is proposed that many people with intellectual disabilities are facing an extensive range of stressors through current shifts in models of service delivery. They are increasingly being encouraged to adapt to new open employment opportunities and new independent living schemes. Increasingly they are being expected to show independence, initiative and flexibility- to welcome and even demand change. Changes of such magnitude have long been associated with stress. This study describes the development and standardization of a stress scale which can be used by people with mild intellectual disabilities. The items were derived by people with disabilities from events in their lives which stressed them and the scale enables users to quantify the frequency and intensity of daily hassles and major life stressors currently bothering them. With such data may come power and control over the timing and nature of changes in their lives.