The QUEST was designed to evaluate a person’s satisfaction with a wide range of assistive technology (AT) (Demers et al. 2002). The current version of the scale covers two dimensions: satisfaction with the device and satisfaction with the service from the vendor/manufacturer.

Number of items: 12

Procedure/Administration: The tool has a self-administration or interview format. Response categories range from 1 (not satisfied at all) to 5 (very satisfied).

How scored: The QUEST yields three scores: Device, Services, and a total score. All scores are calculated by summing and then averaging valid responses to assigned items.

Interpretability: Higher scores indicate a higher level of satisfaction. No information on important cut points or responsiveness (sensitivity to change) is available.

Acceptability: Reliability and validity studies for SCI have only been conducted with the Chinese version of the QUEST. In the self-administered format, the QUEST demands minimal skills to circle or mark the responses on the rating scale and to write comments. When the interview format is used, some interactive optional material is provided, including a list of 12 satisfaction items printed in large font and an enlarged rating scale displaying the 5-point degrees of satisfaction.

Languages: English, French, and Chinese.

Usability: N/a

Time to administer: 10-15 minutes

Time to score: N/a

Training required: None

Availability: Write to:Dr Marcia J. Scherer, Director, The Institute for Matching a Person & Technology, 486 Lake Road, Webster, NY 14580

Equipment required: N/a

Summary:

• The tool is both simple to use and simple to score.
• It covers both Device and Service components of AT, however, some items relevant to specific pieces of technology or delivery systems may be absent.
• It may be applied to a wide range of AT devices.

 Psychometric Summary

Note: TR= Test re-test; IC= Internal Consistency; Inter-O= Inter-observer; Intra-O= Intra-observer; SS= Sensitivity/Specificity; N/a= No information.

Red light= A single study involving SCI subjects which has less than adequate findings of reliability, validity, and/or responsiveness.

Yellow light= A single study involving subjects with SCI which has adequate to excellent findings of reliability, validity, and/or responsiveness.

Green light= At least 2 studies involving subjects with SCI which have adequate to excellent findings of reliability, validity, and/or responsiveness.

References

• Chan SC, Chan AP. The validity and applicability of the Chinese version of the Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction With Assistive Technology for people with spinal cord injury. Assist Technol 2006; 18: 25-33.
• Demers L, Weiss-Lambrou R, Ska B. The Quebec User Evaluation of Satisfaction with Assistive Technology (QUEST 2.0): An overview and recent progress. Technology and Disability 2002;14:101-105.
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