Clinician Tools

Quality of Life Scales

A suite of assessments to measure quality of life

Clinicians monitor parental self-efficacy, parental stress and overall wellbeing as an indicator of quality of life for individuals with an intellectual and developmental disability (I/DD) and their caregivers.

Three Scales. One Clear View of Family Needs.

The key to successful treatment lies in prioritizing quality of life to ensure that clients and their families are achieving meaningful, personalized goals. To assess quality of life, three scales measuring parental stress, parental self-efficacy, and wellbeing are given to clients and caregivers at the onset of treatment, throughout the care journey, and at discharge. During treatment, insights from the parental stress, parental self-efficacy and wellbeing assessments guide clinicians as they tailor plans to the unique situations of each family — adapting care along the way to ensure progress and measure outcomes.

Parental
Self-Efficacy Scale

Parental
Stress Scale I/DD

Wellbeing
Scales

Initial assessment
to set baseline for
all scales

Re-administer all
scales and
adjust treatment

All scales
administered
at discharge

Research-Driven Tools for
Meaningful Progress

Developed by the Catalight Research Institute, the Quality of Life Scales are backed by real-world data and supported by clinical care models. Outcomes from the three assessments have been found to be interrelated. Research shows that as a caregiver gains more skills to support their child’s needs, their stress decreases and overall wellbeing increases.

Get Your Quality of Life Scales

Parental Self-Efficacy Scale

An assessment measuring confidence in implementing treatments and parenting.

The Parental Self-Efficacy Scale consists of two 15-question self-assessments for caregivers. Results provide insights into their level of confidence in supporting their child’s development and implementing the treatment strategies they’re learning. By identifying areas of strength and weakness, the scales provide valuable insights that inform treatment planning and help clinicians build caregiver confidence while addressing sources of parenting stress.

Higher self-efficacy is linked to lower stress and improved outcomes, making this tool essential in guiding and enhancing family-centered care.

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Parental Stress Scale

An assessment that screens parental stress as an outcome for the family.

Catalight researchers adapted the Parental Stress Scale, originally developed by Judy Berry and Warren Jones in 1995, for the I/DD population. The 15-question self-assessment takes just minutes to complete and evaluates the pressure and worry that comes from raising a child with autism or an I/DD.

The results provide indicators for stress, ranging from average to clinically significant. Measuring parental stress informs accurate and effective interventions that lead to improved outcomes for the entire family.

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Wellbeing Scales

An assessment for neurodivergent individuals that measures quality of life.

The Wellbeing Scales are a tailored set of 15 questions that evaluate an individual’s or family’s overall sense of wellbeing, which is related to their overall happiness and positive outlook on life. The scales measure three dimensions of wellbeing: self-determination, relationships, and the ability to self-manage or manage the family. Results provide clinicians with insights that help ensure every intervention supports client and family wellbeing while delivering positive outcomes.

Available for neurodivergent youth and adults, and families where at least one child has ASD or an I/DD, the scales support a more meaningful, whole-person approach to measuring care.

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