Community Integration as Acculturation: Preliminary Validation of the AIMS Interview

Abstract

Background This paper introduces the Assimilation, Integration, Marginalization, Segregation (AIMS) interview, a new measure of community integration (defined as acculturation) and reports validation data supporting the use of AIMS with individuals with developmental disabilities. Methods Caregivers acted as informants for 66 adults with moderate‐to‐mild developmental disabilities. All participants were living in the community. Results The data gathered using AIMS provide evidence of sound psychometric properties including content, concurrent and construct validity. AIMS data for participants with developmental disabilities indicated that integration efforts have been relatively successful in the medical, dental, housing, social and community domains; however, education, employment, volunteer and spiritual activity require attention. Conclusions In addition to use as a research tool and outcome measure, AIMS can be used to inform service delivery by providing information regarding the supports available to individuals with disabilities in a number of domains.

Community integration: conceptualisation and measurement

“…Buell and Minnes [20] ( Figure 3) adapted the framework to research in developmental disabilities with three premises: (a) persons with disabilities comprise a minority group in a larger society; (b) unique characteristics of the disability define the group and disability-related needs require identification and support; and (c) it is important for persons with disabilities to interact with other groups in the community [21].…”

“…This model distinguishes four modes of acculturation in terms of two issues: (a) the extent that the minority group's unique characteristics are recognised and supported in relation to the larger community, and (b) the extent that the individuals of the minority group are involved in the larger community [21]. Environmental factors, for example, community recognition and support and relationships between people with disabilities and the larger community, are considered key to community integration.…”

“…Psychometric properties were examined in a study with participants who were caregivers for adults with developmental disabilities who provided proxy reports on the extent of their community integration [21]. Inter-rater reliability estimates among six raters ranged from 0.76 to 0.84.…”

“…To facilitate the development of instrument content that adequately represents the domains of community integration, the AIMS interview was theoretically based on a model that had been widely tested in cross-cultural psychology, and the 10 domains of community integration that were incorporated had been endorsed by service providers and policy makers [Ontario Ministry of Community and Social Services, 1997 as cited in Ref. 21]. To provide evidence in support of validity, AIMS scores were related to scores on a revised version of the CIQ, and significant correlations were found on corresponding scales, for example, between the AIMS social activity subscale and the CIQ social integration subscale, r ¼ 0.295, and the AIMS spiritual activity subscale and the CIQ social integration subscale, r ¼ 0.360.…”

“…Further validation with various groups would most likely benefit research and practice, involving a wider variety of disabilities. The results may be used as information regarding the mode of community integration for an individual, and also as an outcome measure of community integration initiatives [21,22].…”