Social model of disability: final report

This is the final report on research to develop and test survey questions that reflect the social model of disability.

Findings from the discovery report and literature review are summarised. This is followed by an in-depth discussion of the subsequent alpha phase, which consisted of question design, cognitive testing, and quantitative field testing.

Conclusions and recommendations for the new survey questions and response options are outlined.

The social model-aligned impairment question should be taken forward and used in surveys and data collection.

Both options for a barriers question should be taken forward and applied in different contexts, depending on the purpose and nature of data collection. One question is designed to measure the barriers experienced in different domains of life. The other is designed to measure the different types of barriers experienced. Additional testing on the format of the questions would be beneficial, particularly for barriers in life domains.

General recommendations include further testing on the questions designed for parents, and with the easy read versions. A child version was out of the revised scope and should be developed and cognitively tested.

Testing of the impairment and barriers questions in British Sign Language should be expanded further and focus on improving the structure, format, clarity and context; reducing length and cognitive load; and reassessing the ‘Hearing’ response category.