Inventory of Youth Adaptation to Loss (IYAL): Psychometric Testing of a New Instrument for Bereaved Youth to Assess Social Support and Coping

Abstract

The Inventory of Youth Adaptation to Loss (IYAL) was developed to understand the feelings and social supports experienced by bereaved youth to develop an evidence-base for bereavement interventions. The sample included 400 youth ages 9–17, permitting robust psychometric testing of the IYAL. To evaluate the reliability of the IYAL, the sample framework was national in scope, encompassed a range of different types of youth bereavement programs, and purposively sought diversity in the sample. Exploratory factor analysis identified five factors with distinct sub-scales indicating that the IYAL is a valid and reliable assessment instrument of youth coping with grief and their social support relationships.