Community Integration as Acculturation: Preliminary Validation of the AIMS Interview

Background This paper introduces the Assimilation, Integration, Marginalization, Segregation (AIMS) interview, a new measure of community integration (defined as acculturation) and reports validation data supporting the use of AIMS with individuals with developmental disabilities. Methods Caregivers acted as informants for 66 adults with moderate‐to‐mild developmental disabilities. All participants were living in the community. Results The data gathered using AIMS provide evidence of sound psychometric properties including content, concurrent and construct validity. AIMS data for participants with developmental disabilities indicated that integration efforts have been relatively successful in the medical, dental, housing, social and community domains; however, education, employment, volunteer and spiritual activity require attention. Conclusions In addition to use as a research tool and outcome measure, AIMS can be used to inform service delivery by providing information regarding the supports available to individuals with disabilities in a number of domains.