Scale Overview
The Physical Disability Identity Scale – PDIS was developed by Payton D. Rule, Kaylin Ratner, Emily C. Willroth, Patrick L. Hill (2025). It is designed to measure Physical Disability Identity. The scale is intended for use with Adults with physical disabilities or reduced mobility.
Scale Structure
This instrument consists of 21 items organized into 6 factors/subscales: Connection, Satisfaction, Centrality, Openness, Individual Self-Stereotyping, Disability Lens.
| Factor / Subscale |
Items |
N |
| Connection |
1,2,3,4 |
4 |
| Satisfaction |
5,6,7 |
3 |
| Centrality |
8,9,10,11 |
4 |
| Openness |
12,13,14 |
3 |
| Individual Self-Stereotyping |
15,16,17,18 |
4 |
| Disability Lens |
19,20,21 |
3 |
Response Format
Respondents rate each item using a custom response format.
Response anchors: 1 = Strongly disagree, 2 = Disagree, 3 = Somewhat disagree, 4 = Neither agree nor disagree, 5 = Somewhat agree, 6 = Agree, 7 = Strongly agree.
The scale includes 3 reverse-scored items to reduce acquiescence bias.
Scoring
Items are scored by subscale, with each subscale sum representing a distinct dimension.
Total scores range from 21 to 147. Interpretation guidelines:
- Low Disability Identity Alignment: 21 – 63
- Moderate Disability Identity Alignment: 64 – 105
- High Disability Identity Alignment: 106 – 147
Psychometric Properties
Internal Consistency: The scale has demonstrated good to excellent internal consistency with reported Cronbach’s alpha values of Connection (a=0.95), Satisfaction (a=0.86), Centrality (a=0.79), Openness (a=0.82), Individual Self-Stereotyping (a=0.70), Disability Lens (a=0.91).
Administration
The scale is self-administered and typically takes approximately 5 minutes to complete. It can be administered individually or in group settings. No special training is required for administration.