Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities最新文献

This study investigated the awareness and frequency of self-advocacy skills development training for students with intellectual disabilities conducted by teachers in Japanese special needs high school sections. The study developed the Difficulty Scale for Self-Advocacy Skills Development (DS-SSD) and the Frequency Scale for Self-Advocacy Skills Development (FS-SSD). Using these tools, the study surveyed teachers in special needs schools for students with intellectual disabilities. Teachers' responses (N = 80) to the DS-SSD underwent exploratory factor analysis, which revealed two primary factors: “difficulty in developing self-understanding” and “difficulty in developing communication skills for rights.” The results indicated that teachers with more years of experience, especially in special needs education, reported less difficulty developing students' self-understanding. Teachers with more years of teaching in schools found developing students' communication skills for rights less challenging. However, the study found no relationship between the frequency of self-advocacy skills development and the teachers' gender, overall teaching experience, or experience in special needs education. These findings offer insights into the challenges and frequency of self-advocacy skills instruction provided in special needs schools. Factors influencing the efficacy of these educational practices are discussed.

What constitutes good clinical practice in positive behavioural support (PBS) is well established. But how these clinical principles and practices are best translated into education, training and professional development remain unclear. To inform the development of a national blueprint to support education and professional development in PBS, we sought to better understand current approaches to training and education in PBS, its content and delivery. A systematic review of PBS interventions involving staff training was conducted within the timeframe of 1999–2023. Seven databases and one specialist journal (not otherwise indexed) were searched. Articles were identified using key search words; that is, ‘positive behaviour support’, ‘disability’ and ‘training’. Thirty-three articles were identified whose predominant aims were to evaluate the impact and/or efficacy of PBS-based training. Training formats included workshops, lectures, modules, classroom/group instruction and team-based learning through the review of PBS plans. Core content focused on functional behaviour analysis, behaviour support planning, behaviour support strategies and interventions, as well as skills training. Articles reflected similar core content; however, there was a lack of consistency in training delivery, methodology and subsequent outcomes. Despite this, the literature provides evidence to inform the development of a future capabilities framework and guidance on the training, education and professional development of those involved in the delivery of PBS. Subsequently, recommendations are made to inform the education, training and professional development of PBS practitioners and those responsible for the coordination and delivery of support services for people who exhibit challenging behaviour.

Self-direction allows people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) to control and direct their services and supports. This study's aim was to examine how states across the United States implemented self-direction in their Medicaid Home- and Community-Based Services (HCBS) 1915(c) waiver programs for people with IDD in fiscal year (FY) 2021. We found 80% of states offered self-direction in their HCBS programs. Across the United States, the goal was to have 13% people with IDD receiving HCBS self-direct (n = 113 692). We found, in FY 2021, 29% of services could be self-directed and 36% of funding was projected for services eligible for self-direction. There were vast differences in how self-direction was implemented across states. For example, among the states that allowed self-direction, goals for self-direction by state ranged from 0.9% to 47.5% of people with IDD receiving HCBS. Moreover, projected spending for services eligible for self-direction varied by state from 0.1% to 100%. We believe everyone that wants to self-direct should have the opportunity to do so.

Bradshaw, J., Maguire, R., Gillooly, A., Hatton, C., Caton, S., Jahoda, A., Oloidi, E., Taggart, L., Todd, S. and Hastings, R., What Would Have Helped People With Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities in the UK During COVID-19?. Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 2024, 21, 4. https://doi.org/10.1111/jppi.70000

In this Erratum, Acknowledgements has been modified to:

People with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities can be excluded from research and relatively little is known about the experiences of people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities and their carers during COVID-19. This paper aims to further explore the impact on this group via information provided by paid and family carers. It focuses on key areas such as access to social and health services in addition to questions about health and well-being. In contextualising these results, some comparisons are made to impacts on other groups. This paper also explores what we might do better in future to support this population. Carers were invited to complete an online survey about their experiences and the experiences of people they supported during COVID-19 and to suggest what might have made life better. They were invited to complete this survey at four time points (waves) between December 2020 and December 2022. This paper reports on Waves 1–3, that is to August 2022. Services for people with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities reduced during COVID-19 and have yet to return to pre-pandemic levels. People with profound intellectual and multiple disabilities were reported to experience increased social isolation, deteriorating mental and physical health, increased behavioural signs of distress and reduced life skills. Three areas were identified regarding what would have made life better: opportunities for social contact and activities; improved access to health and social care services, and; consistent and responsive staff. Results are explored in the context of current challenges in service provision, including staff retention and shifts in staff culture during the pandemic.

To counteract stigma and discrimination a series of five lessons Talk about Learning Disability (Talk-LD) to promote young people's understanding and acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities were developed for the Scottish secondary school curriculum. This study examined the feasibility of carrying out a randomised control trial comparing the delivery of the lessons alone with the lessons plus an attempt to promote positive contact between participating students and people with intellectual disabilities. The aim was to recruit and randomise 12 schools to receive the lessons alone or the lessons plus contact. The Attitudes Towards Intellectual Disability (ATTID) questionnaire was completed at baseline and a questionnaire about students' understanding of the lesson content was completed at follow-up alone. Twelve schools were recruited and randomised. The lessons were delivered to 23 classes across the 12 schools. Baseline data were obtained for 480 participants. However, school closures due to COVID-19 meant that follow-up data were only obtained from 220 students (six schools) prior to school closures. The attitude measure only detected change in one ATTID scale, indicating students may be more willing to interact with a person with intellectual disabilities post intervention. Three of the six schools randomised to the lessons plus contact group had plans in place for joint activities between students and young people with an intellectual disability. Despite the disruption caused by the Covid pandemic, the findings were encouraging in relation to future research on the Talk-LD lessons. The schools also engaged positively with the process of promoting positive contact with young people with an intellectual disability.

Current complex life conditions and changing developmental contexts draw attention to the concept of capabilities, the various combinations of functions a person can do or can be, and the opportunities to achieve them. A future-oriented time perspective is a dimension along which individuals express meaning-making of experiences and expectations regarding their lives, a benchmark for the well-being and satisfaction of the quality of life they experience. Findings from research studies involving adults with disabilities and family members of persons with a disability provide evidence for a time-based model, an approach tapping into both the concept and measurement of quality of life and balancing both current and expected quality of life.