A new quality of life index to enhance the inclusion of primary education students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in Spain: A preliminary study.
A new Spanish tool reliably flags emotional wellbeing and self-determination as top needs for primary students with IDD.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team built a new tool called QoLI-PE. It measures quality of life for Spanish primary students with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
They tested the tool with the students . Teachers and parents also filled out forms.
The tool checks eight areas: emotional wellbeing, self-determination, social inclusion, and five more.
What they found
The new scale worked well. Numbers showed strong reliability and clear factor structure.
Two areas scored lowest: emotional wellbeing and self-determination. These are clear targets for support.
Students, parents, and teachers gave similar ratings. This means the tool captures real student experience.
How this fits with other research
Golubović et al. (2013) found teens and parents often disagree on quality of life. Our study shows younger kids and adults agree more. Age may explain the difference.
Gonzalo et al. (2024) looked at university students and found big gaps between theory and practice. Our tool gives schools a concrete way to close those gaps earlier.
Bhaumik et al. (2009) studied family quality of life. Our work shifts the lens to the student’s own view in the classroom.
Why it matters
You now have a quick, valid tool to spot what matters most to elementary students with IDD. Use it to set goals around emotional skills and choice-making. Track change every term.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: The Quality of Life Index-Primary Education (QoLI-PE) is a quality of life (QoL) assessment instrument under development that seeks to enhance the inclusion of students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) enrolled in primary, general education in Spain. The goal of this work was to report evidence on its functioning through a pilot study and characterize the QoL of the participating students with IDD. METHODS: 130 primary education students with IDD were assessed with the QoLI-PE. The pilot study involved analyzing the quality of the items, the internal structure of the tool using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and its internal consistency (Cronbach's α, ordinal α, and ω). Descriptive statistics were calculated for each QoL domain to characterize the QoL of students with IDD. Repeated-measures ANOVA were run to compare the domains at the within-subjects level, while independent samples t test and one-way ANOVAs were performed to test for between-groups comparisons. RESULTS: After refining the items, the CFA supported the internal structure of the instrument based on the theoretical model of QoL composed by eight first-order intercorrelated domains (χ²/df = 1.266; RMSEA =.045; CFI =.985; TLI =.984). Internal consistency was excellent for all the domains (all indices above.75). Emotional wellbeing and self-determination were identified as areas of concern. Significant differences were found between the levels of disability according to limitations in social skills (for material wellbeing) and in practical skills (physical wellbeing and self-determination). CONCLUSIONS: The QoLI-PE stands as a robust tool for its purpose. Strategies for QoL improvement are outlined, and future lines of research are provided.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.104975