Active Support Measure: a multilevel exploratory factor analysis

Background: Active Support is a person-centred practice that enables people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) to engage in meaningful activities and social interactions. The Active Support Measure (ASM) is an observational tool designed to measure the quality of support that people with IDs living in supported accommodation services receive from staff. The aim of the study was to explore the underlying constructs of the ASM. Methods: Multilevel exploratory factor analysis was conducted on ASM data (n = 884 people with IDs across 236 accommodation services) collected during a longitudinal study of Active Support in Australian accommodation services. Results: Multilevel exploratory factor analysis indicated that 12 of the ASM's 15 items loaded on two factors, named Supporting Engagement in Activities and Interacting with the Person. Conclusions: The 12-item ASM measures two dimensions of the quality of staff support. Both technical and interpersonal skills comprise good Active Support.