Designing and validation of the Disability Impact Scale for Veterans and Disabled Individuals

Veterans and disabled individuals are often exposed to problems such as social discrimination, lack of independent living, and inability to participate in daily activities. The purpose of the current study was to designing and validation of the Disability Impact Scale (DIS) for veterans and disabled individuals.

This is a descriptive-correlational study carried out in 2018. A total of 280 veterans and disabled individuals in Isfahan, Iran were selected by the available sampling method. Data gathered by DIS, witch designed based on literature and interview with veterans, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Beck self-concept scale, and inferiority scale. Data were analyzed by exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and Pearson’ correlation using SPSS version 21. In order to investigate the reliability, the test-retest method and Cronbachchr('39')s alpha coefficient were calculated.

DIS had appropriate content and face validity. The EFA showed from initials items, 54-items were remained and saturated with 14 factors such as inferiority, fantasy, family support, avoidance, social isolation, hopelessness, relationship with others, emotional deprivation, acceptance of disability, others attitudes, empowerment, responsibility, helplessness. Also, DIS had significant convergent validity with the Rosenberg self-esteem scale (0.47) and Beck self-concept scale (0.31) and had divergent validity with the inferiority scale (-0.57) (p<0.01). One week interval test-retest reliability was significant (r=0.83, p<0.01) and the Cronbach’s alpha was 0.87 which implies an appropriate internal consistency.

It can be concluded that DIS has appropriate validity and reliability in veterans and disabled individuals and it can be used as an appropriate scale to investigate the impact of disability on the individual and social life and self-concept of veterans.