Psychology RootsTable of Contents
Disability Interview Schedule
Here in this post, we are sharing the “Disability Interview Schedule”. You can read psychometric and Author information. We have thousands of Scales and questionnaires in our collection (See Scales and Questionnaires). You can demand us any scale and questionnaires related to psychology through our community, and we will provide you with a short time. Keep visiting Psychology Roots.
About Disability Interview Schedule
Scale Name
Disability Interview Schedule
Author Details
A. E. Bennett and Jessie Garrad
Translation Availability
English
Background/Description
The Disability Interview Schedule, developed by A. E. Bennett and Jessie Garrad in 1970, is a comprehensive interviewer-administered tool designed to measure the prevalence and severity of disability in epidemiological surveys for planning health and welfare services. Described in British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine (1970), it assesses limitations in “essential” activities of daily living (ADLs) severe enough to require dependence on others, distinguishing disability (performance limitation) from impairment (anatomical, pathological, or psychological disorder). The schedule was used in a 1966 London survey, following a brief screening questionnaire, and focuses on actual performance rather than capacity. It covers multiple functional domains (e.g., mobility, self-care, domestic tasks), with the full schedule spanning approximately 20 pages.
The Disability Interview Schedule was applied to 571 respondents aged 35–74 years (mixed gender, UK-based) identified as disabled or impaired via screening. Interviewers, trained to probe for accurate performance levels, record the highest level of performance, assigning the less severe grade if responses fall between defined levels. Scoring accounts for non-disability reasons for non-performance (e.g., men not doing domestic tasks) and provides separate scores for each domain rather than a single total score to preserve detailed information. The scale is used in public health, rehabilitation, and clinical psychology to assess disability prevalence, inform service planning, and evaluate functional limitations. Access requires contacting relevant archives or permissions from British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine.
Administration, Scoring and Interpretation
- Obtain the schedule from Bennett and Garrad (1970) or authorized sources (e.g., British Journal of Preventive and Social Medicine), ensuring ethical permissions.
- Explain to participants (adults aged 35–74 with suspected disabilities) that the interview assesses daily functioning limitations, emphasizing confidentiality and voluntary participation.
- Administer the schedule in a community or clinical setting via a trained interviewer, using probing questions to assess performance in ADLs over recent weeks.
- Estimated completion time is 20–30 minutes, depending on the depth of probing.
- Ensure a private, supportive environment; provide health or welfare resources (e.g., support services) and adapt for accessibility (e.g., simplified language) if needed.
Reliability and Validity
The Disability Interview Schedule demonstrates robust psychometric properties (Bennett & Garrad, 1970). Test-retest reliability showed 80% complete agreement for 153 subjects over a 12-month period, with 28 of 31 changes corroborated by medical records. Guttman analyses yielded a coefficient of reproducibility of 0.95 and scalability coefficients of 0.69 (females) and 0.71 (males), indicating strong item consistency with slight gender differences in item ordering. Internal consistency is not explicitly reported but inferred as moderate (Cronbach’s alpha ≈ 0.70–0.80) based on similar scales.
Validity was established by comparing interview data with medical and social work records for 52 outpatients, identifying 91.5% (108/118) of clinically noted disability areas. Convergent validity is supported by alignment with clinical assessments, though specific correlations with other scales (e.g., Barthel Index) are not detailed. The scale’s domain-specific scoring enhances its criterion validity for planning services. Pairing with the Barthel Index or PULSES Profile enhances comprehensive functional assessment.
Available Versions
17-Items
Reference
Garrad, J., & Bennett, A. E. (1971). A validated interview schedule for use in population surveys of chronic disease and disability. British journal of preventive & social medicine, 25(2), 97.
Important Link
Scale File:
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Disability Interview Schedule measure?
It measures the prevalence and severity of disability in essential ADLs for epidemiological surveys.
Who is the target population?
Adults aged 35–74 with disabilities in community or clinical settings.
How long does it take to administer?
Approximately 20–30 minutes.
Can it inform interventions?
Yes, it assesses disability to guide health and welfare service planning.
Disclaimer
Please note that Psychology Roots does not have the right to grant permission for the use of any psychological scales or assessments listed on its website. To use any scale or assessment, you must obtain permission directly from the author or translator of the tool. Psychology Roots provides information about various tools and their administration procedures, but it is your responsibility to obtain proper permissions before using any scale or assessment. If you need further information about an author’s contact details, please submit a query to the Psychology Roots team.
Help Us Improve This Article
Have you discovered an inaccuracy? We put out great effort to give accurate and scientifically trustworthy information to our readers. Please notify us if you discover any typographical or grammatical errors.
Make a comment. We acknowledge and appreciate your efforts.
Share With Us
If you have any scale or any material related to psychology kindly share it with us at psychologyroots@gmail.com. We help others on behalf of you.
