Creating a measure of impact of childhood disability: statistical methodology

The aim of the study was to develop a statistical method to derive a domain structure for the development of an impact of disability index, using multidimensional scaling of questionnaire items and expert and non-expert judgement of severity based on standardised videos. The participants were parents of children with cerebral palsy, parents of children in mainstream schools and clinicians with expertise in cerebral palsy, all accessed through child health services in the north east of England. The methods to create a weighted, domain structure for use with the impact of disability index were developed. Multidimensional sealing techniques can be used to derive dimensional data structures. Standardised video material can be used to elicit expert judgements of severity of disability.