A Scale to Measure Restrictiveness of Living Environments for Troubled Children and Youths

Despite concerns about the restrictiveness of care and treatment procedures and settings for special populations, the concept of restrictiveness has seldom been defined or measured. This study describes the development of the Restrictiveness of Living Environments Scale (ROLES) for measuring the restrictiveness of residential settings for children and youths, including their own homes. Based on a literature review, the authors defined restrictiveness in terms of limits placed on freedom of movement or choice by the physical facility, by rules or requirements, and by conditions of entry and departure. The definition, along with a list of 27 residential settings for children, was sent to 389 child care professionals, who were asked to rate the restrictiveness of the settings on a 10-point scale, using a rating method designed to yield an interval scale. Ratings from 159 respondents, rounded to the nearest 5, were used to determine the relative position of the settings on the scale.