The dysphagia disorder survey: validation of an assessment for swallowing and feeding function in developmental disability.
The Dysphagia Disorder Survey is a valid, staff-friendly tool that spots swallowing risk in clients with developmental disabilities.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The team built and tested a short survey called the Dysphagia Disorder Survey (DDS).
Staff in two group homes filled it out for adults and kids with intellectual or developmental disabilities.
Experts then checked if the survey scores matched real swallowing problems.
What they found
The DDS lined up well with expert ratings.
It also showed good internal consistency and could tell apart people with and without feeding issues.
How this fits with other research
Serel Arslan (2022) extends the idea to toddlers with Down syndrome. That study used a different tool (PEDI-EAT-10) and found high rates of drooling and coughing.
Einfeld et al. (1995) did the same thing earlier for behavior. They made the DBC, a carer checklist that flags emotional problems in ID. Both papers show lay informants can give valid data.
Pichardo et al. (2026) backs this up. Caregiver feeding data matched trained observers in almost every phase. Together these studies give you confidence that staff or parents can track swallowing issues without extra training.
Why it matters
You now have a free, quick screen for dysphagia that works across ages and settings. Give the DDS to house staff at intake, re-check every six months, and refer anyone who scores high to a swallow specialist. It takes five minutes and may prevent choking, pneumonia, and hospital trips.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Swallowing and feeding disorder (dysphagia) have high incidence and prevalence in children and adults with developmental disability. Standardized screening and clinical assessments are needed to identify and describe the disorder. The aim of this study was to describe the psychometric properties of the Dysphagia Disorder Survey (DDS), a screening and clinical assessment of swallowing and feeding function for eating and drinking developed specifically for this population. The statistical analysis was performed on a sample of 654 individuals (age range 8-82) with intellectual and developmental disability living in two residential settings in the United States that served somewhat different populations. The two samples had similar factor structures. Internal consistency of the DDS and subscales was confirmed using Chronbach's coefficient alpha. The DDS demonstrated convergent validity when compared to judgments of swallowing and feeding disorder severity made by clinical swallowing specialists. Discriminative validity for severity of disorder was tested by comparing the two samples. The results of the study suggest that the DDS is a reliable and valid test for identifying and describing swallowing and feeding disorder in children and adults with developmental disability.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2014 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.02.017