Students’ Behavioural Intentions Towards Peers with Disability

Background The objectives of this study were: (i) to compare the behavioural intentions of high school students towards individuals with intellectual disabilities and individuals with physical disabilities and (ii) to explore reasons for these behavioural intentions. Materials and methods A sample of 319 Grade 9 and Grade 12 students in Ontario, Canada, completed a questionnaire regarding their behavioural intentions towards peers with intellectual or physical disabilities. They also responded to open‐ended questions concerning their feelings about participating in a class task or social activity with these individuals. Results Behavioural intentions towards students with intellectual disabilities were significantly more negative than were those towards students with physical disabilities. This difference was also reflected in responses to the open‐ended questions. Common reasons for discomfort were perceived dissimilarities in interests or abilities. Conclusions Future efforts should aim to help students with and without disabilities find commonalities and to encourage reciprocity in their interactions.     

Physical Training and Well‐being in Older Adults with Mild Intellectual Disability: A Residential Care Study

Background Exercise is important for health and well‐being. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical training on general well‐being and self‐image in older people with intellectual disability. Methods This study evaluated older adults with intellectual disability in residential care in Israel. The concept of well‐being perceived by the participants was measured by direct interview with a questionnaire consisting of 37 structural statements. The physical training programme was conducted three times a week for 10 consecutive months. Results Statistical analyses suggested a positive relationship between perceived well‐being and physical training between the experimental and control group. Conclusions This positive relation supports the important role of physical training to improve perceived well‐being among older adults with intellectual disability.     

孤独症、肢体残疾、智力残疾儿童家庭经济负担调查

目的评估孤独症、肢体残疾和智力残疾儿童的家庭经济负担。方法对此三类残疾儿童和普通儿童家长(共227名)以访谈的形式进行关于家庭经济负担的调查。结果残疾儿童的医疗支出、看护支出明显多于普通儿童,而教育支出、衣着支出、游乐支出明显少于普通儿童。儿童家庭人均收入仅受父母文化程度影响。除孤独症儿童外,肢体残疾、智力残疾儿童的家庭经济援助明显多于普通儿童。家庭儿童个数越多,经济援助越少。与普通儿童相比,三类残疾儿童的抚养负担依次为：孤独症儿童(19582.4元/年)、肢体残疾儿童(16410.1元/年)、智力残疾儿童(6391.0元/年)。结论相比普通儿童,肢体残疾、智力残疾和孤独症儿童的家庭有着较大的经济负担。     

A Pilot of Interventions to Improve Health Care in Adolescents with Intellectual Disability

Background People with intellectual disability often have poor health which may be improved through better health advocacy and enhanced communication with their general practitioner. To this end, we examined the use of the Comprehensive Health Assessment Program (CHAP) and the Ask health diary previously developed for adults with intellectual disability and trialled their use in adolescents attending a Special School. Materials and methods A CHAP health review completed by both carers and General Practitioners was used to collect information about adolescents’ health. An Ask health diary was used in school to learn health advocacy and communication skills. Thirty students, their parents and their eight teachers participated in the trial. Results The CHAP health review resulted in a mean of 5.2 health conditions being found, and 1.4 planned actions by the general practitioner per adolescent. The Ask health diary was highly accepted by the students and teachers. There did not appear to be any increase in communication skills of the students after using the diary in the school for one term. Conclusion The CHAP health review and Ask health diary have the potential to improve the health of adolescents with intellectual disability.     

Stigma,Social Comparison and Self‐Esteem in Adults with an Intellectual Disability

Background The paper examines the perception of stigma in 43 adults with an intellectual disability, the relationship this has with their psychological well‐being and whether the process of social comparison has a moderating effect on this relationship. Materials and Methods A questionnaire‐based, within‐participant design was used. Participants completed three self‐report measures of perception of stigma, self‐esteem and social comparison. Results Perception of stigma was found to be significantly related to negative social comparisons, which in turn was significantly related to low self‐esteem. No difference was found between social comparisons made with other service users and those made with people in the community. Social comparison was not found to have a moderating effect on the relationship between stigma and self‐esteem. Conclusion This study provides support for the influence of the perception of stigma and social comparison on the self‐concept of individuals with an intellectual disability.     

Physical Fitness and Fatness in Adolescents with Intellectual Disabilities

Background This study investigated health‐related fitness in adolescents with intellectual disabilities and analysed the various performances in physical fitness tests according to degrees of obesity. Materials and Methods Eighty‐seven French intellectual disabilities adolescents (14.24 ± 1.48 years) performed the EUROFIT physical fitness test battery. Height, weight and waist circumference were assessed, and BMI and waist‐to‐height ratio were calculated. ‘Bio‐impedancemetry’ evaluated body fat (BF) percentage. Results Ninety‐four per cent of the adolescents completed the aerobic running test, 52% of which had low VO_2max. Thirty‐seven per cent were obese (%BF), and 32% had excess visceral adipose tissue. Adolescents with the lowest cardiorespiratory fitness had the highest BF percentages (P < 0.001). Conclusions Intellectual disabilities adolescents showed low physical fitness and high prevalence of obesity. Both could further worsen social participation and health status.     

A Comparison of Anxiety and Depression in Sex Offenders with Intellectual Disability and a Control Group with Intellectual Disability

The aims of this study were to employ modified versions of the 21-item Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventories with a group of 16 sex offenders with mild intellectual disability and borderline intelligence and 16 control participants with similar levels of intellectual disability. Test-retest correlations found high reliability for both assessments across all participants. There was a significant difference between the scores of the 2 groups with the sex offenders reporting significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression than the control participants. The results are discussed by presenting hypotheses on the emotional stability in each group.     

The Development of the Nutrition and Activity Knowledge Scale for Use with People with an Intellectual Disability

Background Obesity is an increasing health problem for many Australians, no less so among people with an intellectual disability. Behaviour change aimed at improving nutritional intake and increasing levels of physical activity is a requirement for the reduction of obesity. An essential part of this process is to first ascertain the level of knowledge and beliefs people with an intellectual disability have about these behaviours. Methods The aim of this study was to develop and psychometrically evaluate a scale to assess levels of nutritional and physical activity knowledge among people with an intellectual disability. Results Seventy‐three people with an intellectual disability completed the interview‐rated scale at time 1 and 66 of them completed it again at a 3‐week re‐test. Conclusions The scale demonstrated strong factorial construct validity, high internal consistency and good temporal stability. The applications of this scale in future research and in intervention programmes are discussed.     

Understanding Challenging Behaviour: Perspectives of Children and Adolescents with a Moderate Intellectual Disability

Background The present study examines understanding of challenging behaviour among a sample of children and adolescents with a moderate intellectual disability, and investigates their behavioural intentions towards peers with challenging behaviour. Methods The study involved the collection of quantitative and qualitative data. In the quantitative part of the study participants (n = 39) completed a modified Friendship Activity Scale (FAS) following the presentation of vignettes depicting individuals with challenging and non‐challenging behaviour. In the qualitative part of the study, participants (n = 31) took part in a semi‐structured interview that sought their views on the causes of the challenging behaviour described in one of the vignettes. Results Analysis of the data from the FAS indicates that participants have significantly more positive intentions towards a vignette character that does not engage in challenging behaviour. Content analysis of the qualitative data indicates that participants hold a variety of beliefs about the causes of challenging behaviour. Suggestions include the possibility that it is a response to transient emotional states and to external events. Conclusions The findings are consistent with the findings of other studies on young people’s understanding of and attitudes towards peers with atypical behaviour. The theoretical and clinical implications for young people with intellectual disabilities are discussed.     

Towards Improving Medical Care for People with Intellectual Disability Living in the Community: Possibilities of Integrated Care

Background Ongoing deinstitutionalization has resulted in several problems in medical care delivery to people with intellectual disability, such as an increased workload for general practitioners (GPs) and a lack of active co‐ordination and co‐operation between healthcare professionals. A major consequence is the incidence of untreated yet treatable medical conditions. An integrated care approach may provide a means for better co‐ordination and delivery of care. The aim is to review recent integrated care initiatives and their significance for people with intellectual disability. Method A literature search was conducted to trace relevant literature on integrated care for people with intellectual disability published between 1995 and 2003. Results Although integrated care appears to offer potential for eliminating fragmentation and discontinuity in medical care for people with intellectual disability and for reducing GP workload, there are few published studies which have evaluated its implementation with people with intellectual disability. Conclusions Even though the potential advantages of integrated care are well known, the applicability of this approach for people with intellectual disability has still to be demonstrated.     

Sex Offenders with an Intellectual Disability

It is only in recent years that the myth of the incorrigible and untreatable sex offender with an intellectual disability has been seriously questioned. Current assessment and treatment approaches in this area assume that such offenders are accountable for their actions and treatable with appropriately modified techniques. Even though they may be initially hard to engage in the assessment and treatment process, the use of simplified approaches that support the day-to-day reinforcement of treatment concepts is proving to be effective with this population.     

Cognitive‐Behavioural Therapy for Command Hallucinations and Intellectual Disability: A Case Study

Background There is a paucity of literature detailing cognitive‐behavioural therapy (CBT) for psychosis in people with intellectual disability. Of the available literature, only two case studies involve people with command hallucinations and these do not address specific issues of intervention indicated in the wider literature for this type of presentation. Methods The present paper reports a case study documenting the successful application of CBT targeting the treatment of command hallucinations for mild intellectual disability. Results A range of measures (including positive and negative syndrome scale, beliefs about voices questionnaire and psychotic symptom rating scale for auditory hallucinations) collected at pre‐ and post‐intervention indicates successful reduction in positive symptoms, with 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐up data indicating maintenance of improvements. Critically, positive clinical changes in core beliefs regarding the power of the hallucinatory voice are also observed. Conclusions Cognitive‐behavioural therapy for command hallucinations can be successfully adapted and applied to people with a mild disability.