The POS (Personal Outcomes Scale) is a questionnaire based on the eight domains of quality of life (Schalock & Verdugo, 2002). In a conversation with the person themselves and/or someone from their network, experiences regarding quality of life are discussed. What do people with intellectual disabilities think about the quality of their lives? The POS consists of a list of questions that address the 8 domains:

The domains include:

– Personal Development: The opportunity to grow as a person; growing in self-esteem, learning through personal experience, but also simply being able to attend school.

– Self-Determination: Safety and dignity/self-respect derived from making your own choices, not having others constantly make decisions on your behalf; being able to try things yourself; deciding that you want to try something; choosing when to go to bed.

– Interpersonal Relationships: For example, being able to maintain and sustain your own social network.

– Social Inclusion: Simply experiencing that you belong in society, that you are a person among others.

– Rights: Experiencing the rights you are entitled to!

– Emotional Well-Being: For example, being respected and taken seriously, feeling safe and secure in your life.

– Physical Well-Being: Being taken seriously regarding your physical integrity; seeing your own doctor if necessary.

– Material Well-Being: Material circumstances that allow you to retain your human dignity, such as having your own bathroom! Being able to receive visitors in your own home, in privacy.

What does the Personal Outcomes Scale (POS) assess?

The Personal Outcomes Scale (POS) measures a person’s quality of life based on specific indicators. These indicators are linked to the eight core domains of quality of life, which have been validated in several cross-cultural studies. The eight domains are: personal development and self-determination (reflecting a person’s degree of independence); personal relationships, social inclusion, and rights (reflecting a person’s social participation); and emotional, physical, and material well-being. The six specific indicators per dimension were developed in Flanders and the Netherlands based on extensive input from focus groups and scientific research. These focus groups included people with intellectual disabilities, parents, professionals familiar with the target group, and experts in the field of intellectual disabilities. Each item is evaluated on a 3-point Likert scale in two ways: “self-assessment” or “assessment by another.”

Guidelines for Administering the Self-Assessment

Qualifications of the Interviewer

The Personal Outcomes Scale (POS) should be administered by a professional with extensive experience in the field of intellectual disabilities, trained in the administration and scoring of behavioral assessment scales. This professional should be familiar with the conceptual framework of Quality of Life and its assessment. Additionally, they must understand the importance of the Quality of Life concept, both for an individual’s life and for the support and services provided to the person. When administering the scale, the interviewer should be sensitive to the respondent’s cultural characteristics, the feelings of the client or respondent being interviewed, and the fact that most clients’ experiences with disabilities are not always positive, as previous evaluations often led to diagnoses or imposed interventions. The interviewer must also be aware that responses may vary depending on the respondent’s personal characteristics, experiences, and circumstances, and they may need to adjust their language and interview techniques, such as using verbal prompts and supportive communication.

What is the Focus of the Assessment?

The interviewer should remind the client that, when assessing an item, they should think about “what is generally true.” This means the respondent should consider events and circumstances in general and understand that temporary situations or conditions should not determine the score for a particular item.

“Getting to Know Each Other” Before the Interview Begins

The client should understand what the POS is assessing and that this scale is not a test used to determine a person’s abilities or their eligibility for a specific type of support or service. This scale is intended to provide information to the client themselves, and possibly to parents, professionals, and other stakeholders, with the goal of improving the quality of life. The interview begins after the interviewer and the client have spent some time getting to know each other, for example, by discussing topics of interest to the person (their job or hobbies, their family, etc.).

Respondents and Scoring

The client is asked to determine the appropriate score for each item. The item and the three possible responses can either be read aloud to the respondent, or the respondent can read the items themselves and circle the answer.

All items in the scale must be scored. Each item is evaluated based on the client’s self-assessment. Respondents should understand that there are no right or wrong answers, and they may need regular verbal encouragement to assess each item. The self-assessment interview takes approximately one to one and a half hours to complete.

Completing the Interview and Profile Forms

Before the interview, the interviewer should fill out the Interview Form.

After the interview, the interviewer should transfer the scores for each item (3 = left option, 2 = middle option, 1 = right option) to the Overview Profile. Instructions on how to do this are included on the Overview Profile.