Assessing maladaptive stress response patterns in individuals with intellectual disabilities: Development and preliminary validation of the MSRP-Q

The aim of this study was to develop and validate the Maladaptive Stress Response Patterns Questionnaire (MSRP-Q), a new informant-based instrument for adults with intellectual disabilities in residential care. The MSRP-Q identifies seven maladaptive stress response patterns observable in daily life. The questionnaire consists of 34 items. Preliminary psychometric analyses (N = 80) showed sufficient to good internal consistency, with 76% of the items aligning with their intended subscales, but also indicate that the MSRP-Q is most suitable for individuals with mild-moderate intellectual disabilities. Construct validity was supported by moderate correlations between MSRP-Q scores and the scores on three instruments measuring childhood stressors, current stressful events, and chronic stressors. A weak but significant correlation was found with the Fear and Tension subscale of the ADESS. These findings suggest that the MSRP-Q may be a promising tool for the identification of person-specific stress response patterns.