Using a participative process to implement CRPD articles towards quality of life outcomes.
A global expert panel turned UN disability rights into 85 ready-to-use support moves you can measure.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Whaling et al. (2025) ran a three-round Delphi survey with 75 disability experts from every world region.
The goal was to link each article of the UN disability rights treaty to real support actions that lift quality of life.
What they found
The panel agreed on 85 article-support pairings, hitting 75 % consensus.
The final menu shows planners exactly what to do to turn policy into practice.
How this fits with other research
Heinicke et al. (2012) already proved that small-group direct instruction with prompts works for almost every learner. The Delphi now names that method as a right-aligned support.
Hubel et al. (2008) gave us the ERS-Q to audit programs quickly. You can use their 5-minute form to check if the Delphi supports are in place.
Honigfeld et al. (2012) showed Goal Attainment Scaling is reliable for autism trials. Pair their scale with the Delphi menu to measure rights-based goals.
Why it matters
You no longer have to guess how to honor client rights. Pick the Delphi pair that matches your setting, plug in the proven tactics from Heinicke et al. (2012), and track progress with Marie’s ERS-Q or Lisa’s GAS. You get compliant, evidence-based services and clear data in one move.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
A quality of life (QOL) framework, theoretically grounded and contextually sensitive, has been used to measure the impact of policy outcomes such as the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD). This article presents an operational definition of supports to implement the CRPD toward QOL outcomes using a participative process. Each item of the CRPD has been paired by the means of an international Delphi study to specific support strategies. A panel of 93 experts (by knowledge and experience) from 17 countries participated in a multi-round process to define specific supports and their exportability to people with a disability. Consensus was achieved reaching an agreement of 75 % on 85 pairings of CRPD items-elements of supports and related support strategies to promote the impact of CRPD articles towards QOL outcomes. Furthermore, the operationalization of the CRPD through the development of assessment instruments, and the suggested strategies serve as an exemplary application of a QOL framework for policy implementation.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2025 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2025.105025