Development of ICF core set to profile communicative competence in dyadic communication among adults who use communication devices in Taiwan

Abstract

Purpose This study aimed to develop an ICF core set to profile communicative competence in dyadic communication among adults who use communication devices in Taiwan. Materials and Methods The study was conducted following the release of a manual by the World Health Organisation (WHO) on how to develop the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF) core set in three phases: Preparatory Phase, Phase I, and Phase II. The Preparatory Phase helped collect and sort second-level ICF codes into a candidate list based on different perspectives, including the Systematic Literature Review Phase (i.e., researchers’ perspectives), Empirical Multi-Center Study Phase (i.e., clinical perspectives), Qualitative Study Phase (i.e., perspectives of individuals with a health condition), and Expert Survey Phase (i.e., health professionals’ perspectives). An ICF core set was developed from the candidate list in Phase I through the Delphi technique, and the content validity of this core set was assessed in Phase II. Results Altogether, 94 s-level ICF codes in the candidate list from the Preparatory Phase were included in the three rounds of the Delphi technique for Phase I. Finally, these 94 s-level ICF codes were validated and included in the core set for Phase II, including 28 in Body Functions (b), 0 in Body Structures (s), 42 in Activities and Participation (d), and 24 in Environmental Factors (e). Conclusions The developed ICF core set provides an evaluation tool to profile communicative competence in dyadic communication among adults using communication devices. This core set identifies the gap and future opportunities for further examining the care providers’ roles, together with exploring the environmental facilitators and barriers. The implications concerning rehabilitation, limitations, and the way forward are discussed. Implications to Rehabilitation This core set was first developed in the context of Taiwan from the perspectives of adults and professionals who used communication devices to profile communicative competence in dyadic communication. This core set, which can be utilised across health care disciplines, can serve as the foundation for more holistic evaluation, profiling levels of communicative competence in daily dyadic communication among adults who use communication devices. Rehabilitation providers may decide, based on this core set, if communication devices should be proposed for adults again in order to minimise the abandonment of subsidised communication devices. Levels of communicative competence in daily dyadic communication among adults who use communication devices can be profiled through this ICF core set.