Background
This study explored the relationship between intelligence quotient (IQ) and aspects of everyday functioning/participation in individuals (age 16–40) who have a mild/borderline intellectual disability (IQ 55–85).
Method
Correlations were examined between IQ and (i) self-rated (n = 72) ability, participation as performance (how often an activity is performed), important participation restriction (not/seldom performing an activity perceived as important) and general well-being and (ii) proxy-rated (n = 41) ability and participation as performance.
Results
No significant correlations between IQ and any of the explored measures were found. However, the effect sizes of the correlations between IQ and ability were considered as small but not negligible.
Conclusions
The results support the notion that IQ is a poor predictor of general aspects of everyday functioning in persons with mild/borderline intellectual disability. The result indicates that self-ratings partly generate other information than proxy ratings which may be important for assessments of supportive requirements and diagnosis.
Background Self-rated participation is a clinically relevant intervention outcome for people with mild intellectual disability. The aim of this systematic review was to analyse empirical studies that explored relationships between either environmental factors or individual characteristics and aspects of participation in young adults with mild intellectual disability. Method Four databases were used, 756 abstracts examined and 24 studies were evaluated in-depth. Results Four aspects of participation were found: involvement, perceptions of self, self-determination and psychological well-being. Reported environmental factors were: social support, choice opportunity, living conditions, school, work and leisure, attitudes, physical availability and society. Reported individual characteristics were adaptive and social skills. Conclusions There is a relative lack of studies of factors influencing self-rated participation and existing studies are difficult to compare because of disparity regarding approaches, conceptual frameworks, etc. For adequate interventions, it seems important to study how profiles of participation are influenced by different patterns of environmental factors and individual characteristics.
Background Children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities need support to function in an optimal way. However, there is a limited knowledge about the role of external personal assistants working in the children's home. Materials and Methods A mixed method study was performed including qualitative data from interviews with 11 Swedish parents and nine external personal assistants and quantitative data from questionnaires answered by 60 families. Results For the child, the assistant's role was one of reinforcing, meaning supportive and empowering, and the child needed a high level of assistance. For the family, the role was one of balancing and the external personal assistant was more often found to assist in activities away from home while parents tended to assist within home and in family unit activities. Conclusion In planning and implementation of external assistance, the child's needs as well as considerations of the whole family should be regarded.
Background: The study aim was to investigate the efficacy of an intervention designed to provide a basis for informed choices about future parenthood to special upper secondary school students with intellectual disabilities.
Methods: A randomised trial with a waiting list control group was used. In total, 108 special upper secondary school students with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities, age 16–21 years, provided informed consent and participated. The intervention included education using the Parenting Toolkit and a Real Care Baby simulator. The analyses included 91 students (intervention group n = 46, 24F/22M; control group n = 45, 26F/19M).
Results: The result showed that intervention group changed their attitudes to future parenting, from ‘do not know’ to ‘know’, significantly more than control group. The intervention increased knowledge levels in the intervention group.
Conclusions: The intervention group showed increased ability to make informed choices and decisions about parenthood.
Background: Norwegian social educator students' attitudes towards addressing sexual health are unknown, even if their future clients often have needs related to sexual issues.
Purpose: To investigate social educator students' readiness to address sexual health in their future profession.
Methods: In 2019, 213 social educator students (response rate 34%) responded to the Students' Attitudes towards addressing Sexual Health Extended online questionnaire.
Results: Most of the social educator students felt comfortable and ready to address sexual health in their future profession, but thought they had insufficient competence and education concerning sexual health. There were gender and age differences when discussing sexual health among persons with intellectual disabilities.
Conclusion: Despite most Norwegian social educator students feeling ready to address sexual health, they needed additional competences and education. Further research is needed concerning the effectiveness of educational interventions targeting competence in sexual health, to ensure sufficient support for clients in this field.
Background: Swedish employment rates are disproportionately low among people with intellectual disability and research on employment sustainability in this group is scarce. This study investigated employment sustainability among people with intellectual disability, with a focus on identifying facilitators.
Method: Fifteen persons with intellectual disability who were gainfully employed and had been so for at least 1 year during the last 3 years, and 10 representatives from their employers, were interviewed.
Results: Five facilitators were identified: (1) having tried various types of work, (2) liking to be at work, (3) balance concerning expectations and adaptations, (4) mutual engagement and flexibility, and (5) wage subsidies.
Conclusion: Employment sustainability needs to be understood at individual as well as environmental and societal levels. In addition, both duration and progress should be considered regarding employment sustainability in this population.
Children with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities (PIMD) demand intense family accommodations from birth and onwards. This study used an exploratory and qualitative study design to investigate stability and change in sustainability of daily routines and social networks of Swedish families of children with PIMD.
Materials and methods
Eight families participated over two years in eco-cultural family interviews and social networks interviews collected at home visits. Data were analyzed descriptively and by manifest contents analysis.
Results showed variations in sustainability of daily routines over time across families. The sustainability was linked to fathers' involvement, couples' connectedness and emotional support. Stability and change of social networks were characterized by low overlap between the child and family networks, the children's communicative dependency and low density of able communication partners.
The results indicate that patterns of stability and change were linked both to family resources and child characteristics.