NRC Assistant Research Scientist Sherry Gao, PhD, presented research findings at the 2023 American Evaluation Association (AEA) annual meeting on Oct 11, 2023. Her presentation was entitled “Examining the Construct Validity of the VI-SPDAT (Version 3) Instrument: A Confirmatory Factor Analysis”.

The Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Decision Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT version 3; Community Solutions & OrgCode Consulting, Inc., 2020) is the primary assessment tool to scale individuals’ vulnerability (or self-sufficiency). The current study adopted the sample from a group of 539 patients to examine the construct validity with two factor models. Results suggested strengths and weaknesses of the assessment tool and provided some recommendations on enhancing its reliability and validity.