Validation of the Disability Identity Development Scale Among Student Veterans With Disabilities in Higher Education

Background: As service members transition out of the military and back into civilian life, empirical evidence suggests a growing number of veterans with disabilities are choosing to enroll in postsecondary education. Although prior studies have explored various aspects of identity both for student veterans and those with disabilities, none has examined how disability identity is developed and measured in this population. Purpose: This study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Disability Identity Development Scale (DIDS) among a sample of student veterans with disabilities in higher education. The primary objectives were to replicate the factor structure of the DIDS, evaluate its internal consistency reliability, and explore its relationship with other scales, such as the Personal Disability Identity Scale (PDIS) and Personal Identity Scale (PIS), to affirm the reliability and validity of the DIDS. Methods: The study used a cross-sectional quantitative research design with a sample of 600 student veterans with service-connected disabilities. Participants completed the DIDS, PDIS, and PIS, along with a demographic questionnaire. Initial confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) were conducted to replicate the DIDS factor structure. Due to inadequate fit, exploratory bifactor analyses (EBFA) and exploratory factor analyses (EFA) were performed, which also revealed poor fit. Subsequently, a secondary analysis focusing on veterans with a >90% service-connected disability ratings was conducted to examine if higher disability salience affected the model fit. Results: Findings of this study’s initial CFA, EBFA, and EFA revealed significant discrepancies between the established factor structure of the DIDS and the factor structure observed in this study’s population, suggesting the established model does not fit the new sample data well. However, secondary analyses focusing on veterans with >90% service-connected disability ratings revealed an acceptable model fit for the DIDS. Conclusion: Findings of this research point to a nuanced understanding of the disability identity development among student veterans with disabilities in higher education. This study highlights the need for revising the DIDS for broader applicability and underscores the importance of considering disability severity when assessing disability identity. Future research should refine the DIDS and explore the evolution of disability identity over time to enhance support systems for student veterans with disabilities in higher education.

Name thesis:degree_name

Doctor of Philosophy

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Higher Education Leadership and Policy

Grantor

University of Houston

Year dc:date.issued

2024

Author dc:creator

• Johnson, Christopher Michael

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Horn, Catherine

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Myrick Short, Paula
• Davis, Tiffany J
• MacDermid Wadsworth, Shelley

• Education--Curricula

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/10657/19944

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:uh-ir.tdl.org:10657/19944