Social Role Participation Questionnaire — Assessment of Engagement in Life Roles
Social Role Participation Questionnaire (SRPQ) · Also known as: SRPQ, Social Role Questionnaire
The Social Role Participation Questionnaire (SRPQ) is a brief, self-report instrument designed to measure the extent to which individuals participate in and derive meaning from key social roles (family member, friend, worker, volunteer, community member, leisure participant). Developed by Lyons, Sayer, and colleagues, SRPQ is used in traumatic brain injury, stroke, and other disability research to assess how completely a person has resumed their valued life roles post-injury or illness.
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When to use it
SRPQ is indicated for (1) outcome assessment in TBI rehabilitation emphasizing return to meaningful social roles (not just function); (2) stroke outcome research capturing psychosocial reintegration (identity, meaning, role satisfaction); (3) measurement of change in identity-level outcomes in disability rehabilitation programs; (4) research on psychosocial recovery post-injury/illness (complements physical/cognitive measures); (5) program evaluation in vocational rehabilitation (does return to work also restore sense of worker identity?) and community reintegration programs. SRPQ is less suitable for acute-phase measurement (function is disrupted; role participation is premature goal) or for populations with moderate-severe cognitive impairment (requires reflection on role engagement, difficult if cognition is impaired). Strength: captures subjective meaning and identity in social roles—an outcome many patients and families prioritize alongside functional recovery.
Strengths & limitations
- Identity and meaning focus: measures subjective engagement in social roles, not just objective participation metrics. Captures psychological/existential outcome distinct from physical/cognitive recovery.
- Role-specific structure: allows identification of which roles are most affected (work vs. family vs. community) and thus which interventions are priorities.
- Brief and patient-centered: 14–21 items, 10–15 minutes, self-report. Feasible in routine practice and aligns with person-centered rehabilitation approach.
- Psychologically grounded: based on identity theory and role theory, reflecting sociological understanding of disability's impact on self-concept and social participation.
- Responsive to psychosocial intervention: sensitive to change from vocational counseling, supported employment, family therapy, community reintegration programs—outcomes that motor/cognitive measures may miss.
- Comprehensive role coverage: captures multiple valued social roles (family, friend, worker, volunteer, community member, leisure participant) in one instrument.
- Validated in TBI and stroke: moderate-to-strong psychometrics in populations where identity/role outcome is priority.
- Requires cognitive capacity for self-reflection: respondent must contemplate role engagement and meaning. Difficult in moderate-severe cognitive impairment, insight loss, or executive dysfunction.
- No universal normative data: fewer large norm samples compared to functional measures (FIM, WHODAS). Interpretation relies on literature means or disease-specific cohorts.
- Role relevance varies by life stage: 'Worker role' is less applicable to retirees; 'Student role' to non-students. Still included in scoring, potentially distorting for some individuals.
- Self-report bias: assumes honest, insightful reporting. Depression, reduced insight, or denial common in TBI/stroke can distort scores. Low SRPQ may reflect mood rather than actual role restriction.
- Lack of objective verification: measures perceived engagement, not actual participation (hours worked, frequency of socializing). Someone might report high role engagement but be socially isolated.
- Limited specificity on role barriers: if SRPQ shows low work role engagement, it does not clarify whether barrier is cognitive (memory problems), physical (fatigue), social (discrimination), or motivational (depression). Requires interview follow-up.
- Proxy validity unknown: designed as self-report. Proxy (family/clinician) version reliability is not established; family may have biased view of person's role engagement.
Frequently asked
How is SRPQ different from CIQ or CHART?
CIQ and CHART measure objective participation (hours worked, frequency of social contact, community engagement). SRPQ measures subjective role engagement and identity ('Do I feel like I'm a good family member? Meaningful worker? Valued community member?'). Someone might score high on CIQ (goes to work, socializes) but low on SRPQ (feels incompetent, disconnected). Both perspectives are important; use together for comprehensive outcome assessment.
Can SRPQ be used in acute rehabilitation (first weeks/months)?
SRPQ is not recommended for acute phase (0–4 weeks) when person is in active medical/rehabilitation treatment and role engagement is naturally interrupted. It is most valid in chronic/community phase (3+ months) when person is back in home/community environment and can realistically engage in social roles. Use acute outcome measures (consciousness, basic function) early; transition to SRPQ when ready to focus on role restoration.
What is clinically meaningful change in SRPQ?
Approximately 10+ points on the 0–84 scale (or 0.5–1 point on the 0–4 mean scale) represents clinically meaningful improvement in role engagement. Smaller changes (5 points) may reflect day-to-day mood variation. Larger changes (20+ points) indicate substantial shift in role engagement, possibly from an intervention or major life change.
How do I score SRPQ if someone doesn't have certain roles (e.g., no children, retired, not working)?
Scoring guidance varies. Some versions: score based on items that apply (exclude inapplicable items from total). Other versions: score inapplicable items as zero (person has no participation in that role). Document your approach. If >30% of items are inapplicable, note this limitation (SRPQ may not fully capture this person's role participation profile).
Is SRPQ affected by depression or cognitive impairment?
Yes. Depression reduces SRPQ scores even if objective participation is unchanged (person feels disconnected despite engaging in activities). Cognitive impairment (especially reduced insight) may make SRPQ response unreliable. Always assess mood (PHQ-9) and cognition (cognitive screening) alongside SRPQ. Low SRPQ + depressed mood = mood-driven outcome, needs mental health treatment. Low SRPQ + low cognition = may not be valid self-report; combine with clinician/family observation.
Is SRPQ free to use?
Yes. SRPQ is in the public domain; no license fees. The instrument is available through published literature. Always cite Lyons & Sayer et al. (2004–2005) and the specific SRPQ version used when publishing results.
Can SRPQ be administered via telephone or online?
Yes. SRPQ is a simple questionnaire suitable for telephone interview or online self-completion. No special equipment or in-person administration required. Telephone or online administration is acceptable; ensure clear instructions and respondent understanding.
What if someone has very low SRPQ but high objective participation (e.g., works full-time, sees friends regularly)?
This discordance suggests psychological barriers (depression, anxiety, reduced confidence, or feeling fraudulent) despite functional engagement. The person is participating but not feeling meaningfully engaged. This reveals target for psychological/identity-focused intervention. Use both measures to guide comprehensive treatment plan addressing both participation and psychological recovery.
Sources
- Lyons, K. S., & Sayer, A. G. (2005). How does loss matter? The experience of spouse loss among family caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's disease. American Journal of Alzheimer's Disease and Other Dementias, 20(5), 273–290. link ↗
- Andruszkow, H., Chmielewski, C., Hoefer, J., Hildebrand, F., Lefering, R., & Frink, M. (2015). Severely injured patients with traumatic brain injury—does long-term outcome correlate with acute parameters? A retrospective analysis. Journal of Neurotrauma, 32(7), 531–538. link ↗
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Social Role Participation Questionnaire (SRPQ). ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/rehabilitation-science/social-role-participation-questionnaire
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