PrAACtical Resources: Assessing Distress in Individuals with Communication Challenges

The use of pain scales is common in healthcare settings to help identify and monitor levels of discomfort. To better address the needs of individuals with significant communication difficulties, Northgate Hospital in the UK created a more detailed tool that expands this concept. Today, we look at the Disability Distress Assessment Tool (DisDAT) which identifies distress and things that signal that for a specific individual with a communication difficulty. DisDAT helps to identify the ways that a specific individual with complex communication needs shows signs of distress and discomfort.

You can explore the DisDAT and learn more about how to use it here.  

There is also a form for monitoring these signals over time (click here for download).

Many thanks to the team at Northgate Hospital for creating these tools and making them freely accessible.

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Regnard, C., Reynolds, J., Watson, B., Matthews, D., Gibson, L, & Clarke, C. (2007). Understanding distress in people with severe communication difficulties: developing and assessing the Disability Distress Assessment Tool (DisDAT). Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 51, 4, 277-292.