Background and aim: Schizophrenia is a disabling condition which affects independent functioning in instrumental activities of daily living (IALDs). Due to their importance in mental health and rehabilitation planning, this study was designed to compare functional capacity and daily life performance in IADLs in patients with schizophrenia with healthy matched individuals. The relations between capacity and performance are also considered.
Materials and methods:  Thirty community dwelling patients with chronic schizophrenia and thirty healthy matched individuals were selected. After obtaining a written consent, IADLs were assessed using the Performance Assessment of Self-care Skills (PASS) and the Lawton's index of instrumental activities of daily living. Data analysis was done by SPSS, version 14.0.
Results: Comparing two groups, patients with schizophrenia scored significantly lower in independency, process, and quality in PASS, and in total score of Lawton's index (P<0.001 for all variables). No significant correlations were found between two measures.
Conclusion: It seems that functional capacity and performance in IADLs are limited in patients suffering from schizophrenia. Functional capacity was not related to daily life performance. However, further studies are needed to investigate factors affects functional outcome.

  Background and Aim: Speech in noise test (SINT) surveys the ability of person in extracting speech from ambient noise. Temporal resolution (TR) is ability of person to understand changes of stimulus over time that has important role in speech perception. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of age and sex on SINT and TR in individuals with normal hearing.

  Materials and Methods: SINT was done in the most comfortable level in 3 SNRs 0,-10 and -20 dB and Gap detection test (GDT) in 4 intensity levels in two age groups 25-40 yrs old (included 14 persons) and 41 -55 yrs old ( included 15 persons).

  Results: There was a significant difference between word recognition scores (WRSs) in quiet and in the presence of noise in each age group (P<0.0001). Significant difference was shown between two age groups in WRS s in two SINs of - 10 and- 20 dB (P≤0.02). WRS difference between silence and 3 SINs in two sexes was significant (P≤0.04). Significant difference was the revealed between GDT thresholds in 4 intensity levels (P<0.0001). Sex and age had no effects on GDT thresholds .

  Conclusions: According to our results, despite of normal hearing thresholds with increasing age WRS and GDT are reduced. It seems that, WRS and speech perception in female are better than male.

  Key words: Speech in Noise Test, Temporal Resolution, Age, Sex

Background and Aim: Shifting paradigms about how to assess the support needs of person with intellectual disability, in 1980, posed necessity of design and development of appropriate tools more than ever. In this regard, American Association on intellectual and developmental disabilities developed the supports Intensity scale to respond the lack of an appropriate tool. The aim of this study was to do the cultural adaptation and evaluation of psychometric properties of supports intensity scale in adult people with intellectual disability.

Materials and Methods: In this descriptive – analytic study, 43 adult persons with intellectual disability participated. Translation and adaptation of the SIS through International Quality of Life Assessment (IQOLA ) protocol was done. Validity of the test was evaluated by qualitative content validity. Internal consistency and test-retest reliability were used for evaluation of reliability.

Results: Based on the IQOLA protocol, The SIS had easy translation and relatively good quality. According to results, all items of the test had content validity. Cronbach's alpha coefficients fall in the range (.80-.99) and ICC ranged from .90 to .99

Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the Persian version of the SIS has good validity and reliability for identifying pattern and intensity of needed supports in adult people with intellectual disability.

Key words: Adaptation, Validity, Reliability, Intellectual disability, Supports Intensity Scale