Psychometric Properties of Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale in the Patients of Schizophrenia

Background: The assessment of disability is an integral part of the management of patients with schizophrenia. The Indian Disability Evaluation and Assessment Scale (IDEAS) is a government-recommended tool used for the assessment and certification of disability in mental illnesses. The literature on the psychometric properties such as reliability and validity of IDEAS for the assessment of disability in schizophrenia patients is relatively scant. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional, observational, descriptive study done in a tertiary health care center catering the rural patients in central India. A hundred male and female treatment-seeking schizophrenia patients, who were in symptom remission, were purposively included in the study. Apart from sociodemographic profile and severity assessment, the disability levels of the patients were assessed using IDEAS as well as the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Scale version 2.0 (WHODAS 2.0). Results: The mean age of the patients included in the study was 36.6 (±9.11) years. Among the four disability domains in the IDEAS, maximum disability was seen in the work domain, whereas self-care was the least affected domain. Males had a higher disability in work, whereas in the individuals belonging to joint families and rural backgrounds, self-care was significantly affected. Pearson correlation test implied that IDEAS showed good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha = 0.892) and concurrent validity with the WHODAS 2.0 in the assessment of disability in the study participants. Conclusion: IDEAS is a reliable and valid instrument for the measurement of disability in severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia.