Family-centredness of professionals who support people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities: validation of the Dutch 'Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers' (MPOC-SP-PIMD).
A 16-item Dutch checklist gives BCBAs two quick scores that show parents how family-centred their support really is.
01Research in Context
What this study did
de Kuijper et al. (2014) trimmed the long Dutch MPOC-SP down to 16 items. The new form is called MPOC-SP-PIMD. It is made for staff who serve people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities.
The team ran a survey with staff and parents. They used numbers to see if the short form still measured family-centred care. They wanted two clear scales, not many.
What they found
The 16-item checklist gave two solid scales. One scale is about respectful, family-focused actions. The other is about giving helpful information.
Both scales held up in the math tests. Staff and parents agreed the items fit real life. The tool is now ready for quick audits or self-checks.
How this fits with other research
Kwak et al. (2024) took the same idea further. Their VCAT asks about culture and values, not just general family focus. Use MPOC-SP-PIMD first, then add VCAT if you need deeper cultural detail.
Hatfield et al. (2019) also built a short scale, but for a different job. They measured staff prejudice toward people with ID. MPOC-SP-PIMD looks at helpful staff actions, not hidden bias. The two tools pair well: one checks attitude, the other checks behavior.
Storch et al. (2012) watched staff during story time and saw no change in style after training. Their finding warns us: measuring family-centred care with MPOC-SP-PIMD is only step one. You still need coaching if scores are low.
Why it matters
You now have a two-minute, 16-item snapshot of how family-centred your team looks to parents. Run it each quarter. If scores dip, target respectful communication and clear information first. The tool is free, short, and already checked for reliability, so you can act on the numbers right away.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
A Dutch version of the 'Measure of Processes of Care for Service Providers' (MPOC-SP) was developed to determine the extent to which professionals apply the principles of family-centred care in the rehabilitation of children with physical disabilities. However, no data were available on the reliability and construct validity of this instrument when it comes to supporting people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD). This study aimed to validate an adapted version of the Dutch MPOC-SP for assessing the family-centred behaviours of professionals who support this group (MPOC-SP-PIMD). A total of 105 professionals took part in the study. A Mokken scale analysis was conducted to determine whether the instrument satisfied the assumptions of both monotone homogeneity and double monotonicity. Loevinger's scalability coefficient (H) was used for the scalability of the entire scale and of each item separately. Rho was calculated as a measure of the internal consistency of the scales. The analyses resulted in two scales: a nine-item scale interpreted as 'Showing Interpersonal Sensitivity', with H=.39 and rho=.76, and a seven-item scale interpreted as 'Treating People Respectfully', with H=.49 and rho=.78. A validated version of the MPOC-SP-PIMD, suitable for supporting people with PIMD, consists of a subset of two scales from the original Dutch MPOC-SP. This instrument can be used to compare the family-centredness of professionals with parent's expectations and views. This information can be used in practice to match the support to the needs of the parents and family of the child with PIMD.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.03.044