A preliminary assessment of the Polish version of the DSQIID dementia screening instrument DSQIID-P

Purpose The purpose of the study was to address the lack of Polish diagnostic or screening instruments for dementia in adults with intellectual disabilities by developing and assessing a Polish version of the Dementia Screening Questionnaire for People with Intellectual Disabilities (DSQIID-P). Design/methodology/approach Three independent linguists translated and adapted the original DSQIID into a Polish version, which three independent assessors then reviewed. Once finalised, a preliminary psychometric evaluation was conducted. Institutions supporting adults with intellectual disabilities were approached for the recruitment of participants. The questionnaire was completed by caregivers of 107 adults with intellectual disabilities aged 40 and over. A subset of 69 caregivers also completed the Barthel index. Findings The mean total DSQIID-P score was 13.77 (SD = 9.28). Older participants showed a statistically significant higher DSQIID-P score. Individuals with physical illnesses scored statistically significantly higher than those without. The Cronbach’s alpha of 0.89 indicates satisfactory internal consistency. A statistically significant negative correlation between DSQIID-P and the Barthel index scores supported criterion validity. The early assessment of DSQIID-P looks promising for use in Polish-speaking populations. Research limitations/implications This was a preliminary assessment of the newly developed DSQIID-P with a relatively small sample size. Full psychometric validation is still needed through further research. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to develop and evaluate a Polish version of a dementia screening tool specifically designed for adults with intellectual disabilities, filling a critical gap in Polish clinical practice and research.