Evidence-based practices in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities: An international consensus approach

• DOI: 10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2010.10.004
• Publication Date: 2010-11-11T09:21:14Z
• Authors: Robert L. Schalock; Miguel Angel Verdugo; Laura E. Gomez
• Keywords: Consensus; Internationality; Developmental Disabilities; Decision Making; Public Policy; Models, Theoretical; Benchmarking; 03 medical and health sciences; Evidence-Based Practice; Intellectual Disability; Models, Organizational; Humans; 0305 other medical science; Quality of Health Care

As evidence-based practices become increasingly advocated for and used in the human services field it is important to integrate issues raised by three perspectives on evidence: empirical-analytical, phenomenological-existential, and post-structural. This article presents and discusses an evidence-based conceptual model and measurement framework that integrates these three perspectives and results in: multiple perspectives on evidence-based practices that involve the individual, the organization, and society; and multiple interpretation guidelines related to the quality, robustness, and relevance of the evidence. The article concludes with a discussion of five issues that need to be addressed in the future conceptualization, measurement and application of evidence-based practices. These five are the need to: expand the concepts of internal and external validity, approach evidence-based practices from a systems perspective, integrate the various perspectives regarding evidence-based practices, develop and evaluate evidence-based practices within the context of best practices, and develop a set of guidelines related to the translation of evidence into practice.