Content validity analysis of ISD-1: an instrument for social diagnosis in care homes for older persons^†

† The first part of this work, which describes the ISD-1 design process and its results, has been published as an independent article in the European Journal of Social Work entitled ‘Design of ISD-1: An instrument for social diagnosis in care homes for older persons’.

ABSTRACT

This article presents the validity study for ISD-1 (Instrument for Social Diagnosis), designed to be used in the specialist field of intervention in care homes for older persons. The study has focused on the evidence regarding the validity of its content. The definition of the operative area of ISD-1 (social diagnosis in care homes), and its representativeness and relevance, are decisive aspects for its validity. Two validation procedures were used, with the participation of two independent groups of experts. Both procedures had the objective of obtaining a quantitative measure assessing the representation of the area and of the degree of association between the dimensions and the items of the instrument. We may conclude that there is a sufficient degree of evidence for the representativeness, relevance and usefulness of the content of ISD-1, meaning it may be considered a suitable instrument for the formulation of social diagnoses in care homes for older persons.

RESUMEN

Este artículo presenta el estudio de la validez del IDIS.1 (Instrumento para el diagnóstico social), diseñado para para ser utilizado en el ámbito especializado de intervención de las residencias para personas mayores. El estudio se ha centrado en las evidencias de la validez de contenido. La definición operativa del dominio del IDIS.1 (el diagnóstico social en residencias para personas mayores), y su representatividad y relevancia, resultan aspectos decisivos de su validez. Se emplearon dos procedimientos de validación, con la participación de dos grupos independientes de expertos. Ambos procedimientos tuvieron el objetivo de obtener una medida cuantitativa de la evaluación de la representación del dominio y del grado de vinculación entre las dimensiones y los ítems del instrumento. Se puede concluir que el IDIS.1 cuenta con suficientes evidencias de representatividad, relevancia y utilidad de contenido, lo que permite considerarlo un instrumento válido para la formulación de los diagnósticos sociales en residencias para personas mayores.

KEYWORDS:

• Content validity
• instrument
• social diagnosis
• care homes
• older persons

PALABRAS CLAVE:

• instrumento
• diagnóstico social
• validez de contenido
• residencias
• personas mayores

Acknowledgements

The authors particularly wish to thank all the social workers who have participated in this study, since their dedication and involvement have made its completion possible.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Silvia Patrica Cury has a PhD in Social Work, a University Master’s in Community Social Work and Management and Evaluation of Social Services and a Diploma in Social Work from Universidad Complutense, Madrid (UCM), with an Outstanding PhD Award (Premio Extraordinario de Doctorado) in Social Work. She is currently an associate professor at the International University of La Rioja for the degree in Social Work and the master’s in Social Intervention in Knowledge Societies, coordinator for the master’s in Socio-Healthcare Management and Intervention, and associate on the UCM PhD programme in Social Work. She has published various monograph chapters and articles in scientific social work journals.

Andrés Arias Astray is a Professor of Social Work at Complutense University (Madrid). His research interest revolves around the Improvement of social and personal well-being through the critical analysis of social work practices and theories and the development of new professional tools and instruments. He is also very interested in the research and professional practice of social work with groups. He is the Academic Coordinator of the Social Work PhD programme at Complutense and a member of the Executive Committee of the European Association of Schools of Social Work.

José Luis Palacios Gómez has a Degree and PhD in Political Sciences and Sociology from UCM, Madrid, as well as a PhD from Universidad Autónoma, Madrid on its Methodology of Behavioural and Health Sciences programme. He carries on his professional activities as a sociologist on the special management scale, higher technical class, of local government administration. He has worked as an associate professor at various universities, teaching the subjects of Social Research Methods and Techniques and Statistics, among others. He has published seven books and numerous articles in scientific journals of sociology, economics and business administration.

Notes

† The first part of this work, which describes the ISD-1 design process and its results, has been published as an independent article in the European Journal of Social Work entitled ‘Design of ISD-1: An instrument for social diagnosis in care homes for older persons’.

1. Definition of the concept of ‘social diagnosis’ (Blinded for review, 2016):

Social diagnosis is the professional judgment made by a social worker as a result of the study and interpretation of a given social situation, and which constitutes the basis for social intervention in that situation. The correct formulation of the social diagnosis is the responsibility and competence of the social worker, and must take into account the difficulties and strengths of the person and of their individual, family, social and institutional situation.

2. Note: Micro-data corresponding to this article are available in:

https://goo.gl/DBeobq (Results of evaluation of the content of ISD-1 by non-MSCA judges)

https://goo.gl/ebjCSp (Results of the first IDS-1 evaluation survey)

https://goo.gl/jtKq6n (Results of the second IDS-1 evaluation survey).

Additional information

Funding

The authors acknowledge the Autonomous Agency Madrid Social Care, which has sponsored and at all times supported the completion of this study, and Universidad Complutense, Madrid, which has financed this research by providing Silvia Patricia Cury with a four-year pre-PhD grant.