This article summarises some key pieces of research in the learning disability and autism field over recent weeks. This includes studies on maximising quality of life in supported living settings, inner speaking and self-talk in autistic adults, interpersonal trauma in children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities, and a social inclusion programme for neurodiverse children at school.
Positive social relationships and participation in varied activities are key to maximising the quality of life of people with an intellectual disability, according to a new study published in the British Journal of Learning Disabilities.
Recent research has suggested that loneliness and mental health are growing concerns among people with an intellectual disability, and that loneliness can increase when individuals move from larger group settings to supported living settings. The researchers therefore wanted to establish what was important to these individuals and what helped them to have a good quality of life.
The study included 87 people with an intellectual disability and their support workers (n=120). All the individuals lived in group homes or individual ‘core and cluster’ flats and had a range of support needs (from a few hours a day to 24/7 support).
In person interviews were carried out with each of the participants who were asked a series of structured open-ended questions to understand what was most important to them. The questions were used to elicit qualitative responses regarding good and bad aspects of their lives, including difficulties that they may be experiencing or new things that they may be trying. Their support workers were also asked to submit written responses to a series of questions.
Following the interviews, the researchers conducted an inductive thematic analysis to track the key themes which emerged:
As well as identifying these key themes, the researchers found that self-reports (i.e. how the person thought they were coping) and proxy reports (how the support worker thought the person was coping) were often different. They found that self-reports were more optimistic than staff reports overall, with support workers often focusing on the difficulties the person was having while the individuals focused more on the positives.
The researchers say this serves as an important reminder that people with learning disabilities should always be directly asked about their experiences wherever possible, and we should not rely on proxy reports. However, they note it can be helpful to speak to staff in addition to the individuals themselves as people with a learning disability may not always report all the difficulties they experience.
A new study has found that autistic adults report a greater frequency of inner speaking and self-talk compared to non-autistic adults, and this may be linked to poorer mental health.
The study, published in Autism Research, is the first of its kind to evaluate the nature of autistic adults’ everyday inner experiences and how they relate to mental health and wellness.
In total, 303 autistic adults and 289 non-autistic adults (aged 21–82) completed online surveys. The surveys asked about demographics, autism traits, different types of inner experiences, self-talk, mental health, satisfaction with life and happiness. Various statistical techniques were then used to analyse the data.
The findings suggest that the autistic and non-autistic people show many similarities in overall patterns of inner thinking, but autistic adults may be more likely to use self-talk as a strategy to manage challenging day-to-day experiences.
For instance, they may use self-talk to prepare for social situations which they often find challenging, or to compensate for difficulties with executive functioning (i.e. capacity to plan ahead and meet goals, display self-control, follow multiple-step directions even when interrupted, and stay focused despite distractions).
Importantly, the use of self-talk was linked with anxiety and depression in both groups. Interestingly, while self-talk for social assessment and self-criticism was associated with greater anxiety and depression in both groups, self-talk for self-management was only significantly associated with higher anxiety and depression scores in the autistic group.
The researchers call for additional research to better understand these experiences, their relationship to mental health, and whether these findings can be used to create improved mental health treatments for autistic people.
Children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities are more likely to exhibit more severe post-traumatic symptoms, anxiety issues, social problems, and poorer adaptive functioning, according to new research.
The study, published in Research in Developmental Disabilities, investigated the impact of interpersonal trauma on children and adolescents both with and without intellectual disabilities.
In total, 66 Italian children and adolescents exposed to interpersonal trauma (physical/sexual abuse, domestic violence, and neglect) were included in the study, and structured interviews with parents were conducted alongside parent-reported questionnaires. The researchers then analysed the responses in order to assess the participants’ adaptive functioning, psychopathology, and post-traumatic symptoms.
The researchers found that children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities were more likely to exhibit more severe post-traumatic symptoms, anxiety issues and social problems than their counterparts without intellectual disabilities. However, interpersonal trauma was associated with distinct psychopathological outcomes in both groups.
While the researchers suggest that children without intellectual disabilities who experience trauma may experience regression in basic life skills, particularly in self-care and the ability to manage their health and safety, there was no significant difference between the groups in this practical domain, suggesting this is equally impaired in both groups.
In terms of interpersonal trauma typology, exposure to physical/sexual abuse and domestic violence led to greater post-traumatic symptoms compared to neglect in both groups.
The authors conclude that children and adolescents with and without ID who experience trauma have similar psychopathological presentations. They say more research is therefore needed on trauma’s impact on children and adolescents with ID as well as more specialised training.
“It is of critical importance to promote the specialised training of therapists in understanding trauma and its impact on children and adolescents with ID, both in terms of assessment and treatment, to facilitate early identification and improve access to targeted intervention,” they conclude.
A recent study from Northumbria University has highlighted the need for adapted social inclusion programmes for neurodiverse children in UK primary schools. The study, published in Research in Developmental Disabilities, examined the feasibility of adapting the Australian programme “In My Shoes” for use in the UK.
The “In My Shoes” programme focuses on enhancing inclusion for autistic children by using a whole-school approach to develop social problem-solving and perspective-taking skills. The aims is to create an inclusive environment where all students feel a sense of belonging.
To conduct the research, the study authors used a qualitative approach, conducting focus groups with key stakeholders in two UK primary schools such as pupils, parents, teachers, and senior leaders. A content analysis methodology was then used to analyse focus group data, identifying key themes and patterns.
The results revealed that all the stakeholder groups saw the potential benefits of the “In My Shoes” programme for UK schools. They believed it could enhance school connectedness and participation for neurodiverse children, however, many believe the programme is too long for the already crowded UK curriculum and it should be shortened to fit in with existing curriculum areas.
Others suggested that the programme needs adapting for a UK audience, this included changing terminology, showcasing a range of more diverse characters, depicting UK-style games and activities, incorporating UK accents and environments, and simplifying layouts and adding prompts.
Following on from the research, the authors now plan to adapt the “In My Shoes” programme. A feasibility study will then be conducted in UK classrooms to evaluate the programme’s impact on school participation and connectedness for neurodiverse children.
They say the programme holds promise for improving the school experiences of neurodiverse children in the UK, contributing to a more equitable and supportive learning environment for all.
