Usefulness of the Supports Intensity Scale (SIS) for persons with other than intellectual disabilities.

The team trimmed the 49-item Supports Intensity Scale down to 22 items. They called the short form SIS-NID, for people without intellectual disability.

They ran standard psychometric checks on the new form. The goal was a quick, reliable way to map how much help clients need in everyday life.

The 22-item SIS-NID held up well. Reliability and validity stayed in the acceptable range even after the cut.

In plain words, the short scale still measures support needs accurately for people who do not have ID.

Kuppens et al. (2010) tested the full 49-item SIS in large ID samples one year later. They confirmed the six-factor structure, giving the long form a solid footing. Lambrechts et al. (2009) built on that base by showing you can safely drop half the items for non-ID users.

Hagiwara et al. (2021) looked at who fills out the SIS-A. They found more raters push scores up, while adding the adult with ID pulls scores down. That matters because G et al. did not test rater effects; you will still need Mayumi’s advice on team composition even with the short form.

Pellicano et al. (2022) and Wilson et al. (2023) followed the same trim-and-validate recipe for depression and wellbeing scales in ID. Together these papers form a how-to guide: shorten carefully, re-check stats, then release.

If your caseload includes adults with autism, TBI, or mental-health needs but not ID, the SIS-NID gives a fast snapshot of daily support needs. You can finish the interview in half the time, write tighter goals, and still lean on the same six life domains the full scale uses. Pair it with Mayumi’s rater rules and you have a quick, credible planning tool for next week’s team meeting.