Validity and reliability of the ‘Leisure Participation Observation’ among adults with intellectual disabilities: A pilot study

Background: Individuals with intellectual disabilities have decreased leisure participation, affecting their health and well-being. Existing measures of leisure participation are primarily based on self- or proxy reports. This study describes the initial validity and reliability of Leisure Participation Observation (LPO), developed for individuals with ID. Method: Two judge panels (N = 10 each) completed a table of specifications for content validity. Reliability of the LPO was established on 38 individuals with moderate ID 25–45 years old. Results: This study established the content validity of the LPO. Additionally, weighted kappa showed moderate–high statistically significant inter-rater reliability (.667–.859, p <.01) and low–moderate, significant test–retest reliability, based on intraclass correlations (.226–.474, p <.05). Finally, results yielded moderate–high internal consistency (α =.74). Conclusions: The LPO shows promise as an observation tool for assessing leisure participation in the moderate ID population that may serve as the basis for developing intervention programmes.