Adaptation and validation of the Tower of London test of planning and problem solving in people with intellectual disabilities.
A shorter, simpler Tower of London test gives a valid snapshot of planning skills in adults with intellectual disability.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Researchers made the Tower of London test easier for adults with intellectual disability. They cut the number of moves, used bigger pegs, and gave more practice trials.
Then they gave the new version to the adults with ID. They also asked staff to rate each adult's daily planning skills and problem behaviors.
What they found
Adults who solved more puzzles also needed less help with daily tasks like cooking or shopping. The test scores matched staff ratings of real-life planning.
Higher puzzle scores went with fewer angry outbursts and less repetitive behavior. The test picked up both strengths and struggles.
How this fits with other research
Richman (2008) used photos instead of puzzles to let adults with ID show their own view of daily life. Both studies aim to measure daily skills, but one uses cameras and the other uses pegs.
van Esch et al. (2018) checked if health surveys work for adults with ID who take antipsychotics. Like D et al., they proved a standard tool can be trusted after small tweaks.
No papers clash with these findings; each adds a different piece to the assessment puzzle.
Why it matters
You now have a quick, low-cost way to spot planning problems before they block job training or independent living. Give the adapted Tower test in 15 minutes, then use the score to pick goals like 'follow a three-step recipe' or 'plan a bus route'. Share the results with the team to show why teaching planning is worth the effort.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: There is a need for validated, standardised tools for the assessment of executive functions in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). This study examines the validity of a test of planning and problem solving (Tower of London) with adults with ID. METHOD: Participants completed an adapted version of the Tower of London (ToL) while day-centre staff completed adaptive function (Adaptive Behaviour Scale - Residential and Community: Second Edition, modified version) and dysexecutive function (DEX-Independent Rater) questionnaires for each participant. Correlation analyses of test and questionnaire variables were undertaken. RESULTS: The adapted ToL has a robust structure and shows significant associations with independent living skills, challenging behaviour and behaviours related to dysexecutive function. CONCLUSIONS: The adapted ToL is a valid test for use with people with ID. However, there is also a need to develop other ecologically valid tools based on everyday planning tasks undertaken by people with ID.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2010 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2010.01280.x