ICF and ICF-CY lessons learned: Pandora's box of personal factors

Purpose: The aim of this article is to examine the component of personal factors'' described as a contextual factor in the ICF and ICF-CY. Methods: A critical examination of the construct of personal factors'' and description of the component was made with reference to conceptual and taxonomic criteria. Results: The personal factors'' component in the ICF/ICF-CY is not defined, there is no taxonomy of codes, there is no explicit purpose stated for its use and no guidelines are provided for its application. In spite of these constraints, the component of personal factors'' is being applied as part of the classifications. Such uncontrolled applications constitute significant risks for the status of ICF/ICF-CY as the WHO reference classification in that: (a) the component is accepted for use by default simply by being applied; (b) component content is expanded with idiosyncratic exemplars by users; and (c) there is potential misuse of personal factors'' in documenting personal attributes, including blaming the victim''. Conclusion: In the absence of formal codes, any application of the component of personal factors'' lacks the legitimacy that documentation with a scientific taxonomy should provide. Given the growing use of the ICF/ICF-CY globally, a priority for the revision process should be to determine if there is in fact need for personal'' or any other factors in the ICF/ICF-CY.