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Using Q‐Methodology to Involve People with Intellectual Disability in Evaluating Person‐Centred Planning
Author(s) -
Combes Helen,
Hardy Gillian,
Buchan Linda
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.056
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1468-3148
pISSN - 1360-2322
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3148.2004.00191.x
Subject(s) - construct (python library) , psychology , intellectual disability , service (business) , variance (accounting) , sort , stakeholder , learning disability , card sorting , applied psychology , social psychology , computer science , developmental psychology , public relations , management , marketing , psychiatry , economics , information retrieval , programming language , task (project management) , accounting , business , political science
Objectives Person‐centred approaches do not easily lend themselves to standard methods of evaluation. This study develops a technique that will involve service users and their circle of support in making individual plans. Methodology Q‐methodology is a phenomenological approach, which enables the researcher to co‐construct the stories of many people. Two people with learning disabilities and seven members of their circle of support were identified to participate in the study. They attended a stakeholder meeting to identify 36 valued activities. The 16 participants then completed a Q‐sort using photographs to represent these activities. These sorts were then interpreted using Q‐methodology. Results There were a number of intercorrelations between the card sorts. Principle component analysis showed that two factors accounted for 73% of the variance of the data. The two clusters represented the members of each person's circle of support. Analysis and comparison of the factors have highlighted the similarities and differences between individuals and their circle of support. Conclusions This study shows that Q‐methodology is a useful adjunct to person‐centred planning. Looking at and interpreting the data, which emerge through Q‐methodology, hashighlighted both similarities and individual differences for goal planning. It has also highlighted potential areas for service change and development. Using Q‐sorts over time may be a way to demonstrate the subjective change in peoples' values that occur through person‐centred planning (PCP).