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Assessment of challenging behaviours with the Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form: agreement/disagreement between frequency and severity ratings
- Authors:
- MAKHLUF Yasmin Farage, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 46(4), 2021, pp.370-374.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: The Nisonger Child Behavior Rating Form (NCBRF) allows for the assessment of frequency and severity of challenging behaviours of individuals with ID with one combined rating. However, frequency and severity rating of challenging behaviours may be in disagreement. Therefore, the efficacy of frequency and severity independent ratings for each NCBRF item was investigated. Method: Professional caregivers of 105 individuals with ID completed the NCBRF with separate frequency and severity ratings and the Vineland-II. Results: Magnitudes of correlation coefficients between frequency and severity rating of each NCBRF item were mostly trivial, small, or medium. However, the differences between the magnitude of the corresponding correlation coefficients of frequency and severity rating of each NCBRF item when related to the Vineland-II adaptive behaviour dimensions were rarely statistically significantly. Conclusions: Despite the need for further comparisons with other challenging behaviour scales, the separate use of frequency and severity ratings seems to be useful. (Edited publisher abstract)
Memory and standing balance after multisensory stimulation in a Snoezelen room in people with moderate learning disabilities
- Author:
- TORO Brigitte
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 47(4), 2019, pp.270-278.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: The Snoezelen room provides a multisensory environment for people with learning disabilities. Method: Thirty‐five residents were recruited from a convenience sample of people living in a residential centre. A repeated‐measures, within‐subject design was used to evaluate the participants during three conditions: a) Snoezelen room, b) control period and c) watching television. The outcome measures were digit span memory tests and Romberg balance tests. One‐way repeated‐measures ANOVAs and paired‐samples t tests were performed on the data. Results: ANOVA results show that there was a significant effect over time in the amount of digits remembered and in balancing ability between the three conditions (p < .0005). T tests confirmed that the Snoezelen condition was responsible for the significant improvements in memory and balancing ability. Conclusion: Participants performed significantly better with memory tasks and balancing skills after having attended multisensory stimulation in a Snoezelen room. This may be due to improved mindfulness, which is correlated with improvements of concentration, learning ability and motor skills caused by neurophysiologic changes of the brain. (Publisher abstract)
Attitudes of social service providers towards the sexuality of individuals with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- BAZZO Giuseppe, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(2), March 2007, pp.110-115.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The sexual lives of people with intellectual disability is made complex by the involvement and influence of social service providers, whose beliefs and values have a great impact on the support they provide. This Italian study describes attitudes of social service providers towards the sexuality of individuals with disability measured by 20 items of Sexuality and Mental Retardation Attitudes Inventory (SMRAI). The participants were staff, 216 social service providers from residential centres, day centres, and outpatient treatment services. Results suggested that the social service providers participating in this research study tended to have moderately liberal attitudes. Educational level and role carried out did not produce differences in their attitudes. A significant difference emerged between those who operated in different services. It was especially the staff of the outpatient treatment services who revealed the most liberal and positive attitudes towards the sexuality of individuals with intellectual disability. The data reported in the present study seem to underline some differences between the data collected from the Italian and the Anglo-Saxon social service providers. Failure to record influences associated with the role carried out and previous training could be related to the different contextual differences. Results suggest that particular attention should be paid to the training of those who hold managerial posts in Italian residential services.
Mitigating the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on residential facilities for persons with intellectual disability and/or autism spectrum disorder: two experiences from the Italian red zone
- Authors:
- SANTAMBROGIO Jacopo, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 15(4), 2021, pp.132-140.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Persons with intellectual disability and/or low-functioning autism spectrum disorder are with high support need (ID/ASD-HSN) are among the people who are most vulnerable to the COVID-19 pandemic. The specific vulnerability and the protective factors for persons with ID/LF-ASD attending residential and rehabilitative facilities have however received little attention. This paper aims to describe how two facilities located in the Italian COVID-19 red zone faced the risks associated with the spread of the pandemic and the results they have achieved so far. Design/methodology/approach: Interventions to contrast the spread of the pandemic and preserve clients’ health conditions have been systematically monitored and recorded since the very beginning of the pandemic. Findings: 26/138 clients had to undergo clinical screening and laboratory tests for COVID-like symptomatology, but only one resulted affected by COVID-19 and survived. Considering that Lombardy had 89,595 cases and 16,262 deaths (January–May 2020), one COVID-19 case/138 clients is a good result. Temporarily limiting physical contacts with friends/family in favor of reducing the burden of risk and adopting a system of prevention/safety strategies directed for persons with ID/LF-ASD attending and their caregivers have been useful measures. Research limitations/implications: Structured or semi-structured interviews (using professional caregivers as informant) to confirm behavioral and emotional changes in the clients could not be carried out because of lack of time and resources (which were captured by the management of the pandemic) and could be the next goal for our residential facilities to implement the management of epidemic acute phases in a research-oriented view. Originality/value: This study is a service evaluation report about facing COVID-19 pandemic. Only few such studies are present in medical literature about ID/ASD. (Edited publisher abstract)
School inclusion of children with intellectual disability: an intervention program
- Authors:
- NOTA Laura, GINEVRA Maria Cristina, SORESI Salvatore
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 44(4), 2019, pp.439-446.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: This study evaluated the impact of a structured 10-didactic units intervention on promoting the school inclusion of elementary school students with intellectual disability (ID). Method: The intervention was devised for 152 Italian typically developing (TD) elementary school students that were randomly assigned to the experimental (EG) or to the control (CG) group. Specifically, the research examines the positive and negative social behaviours that took place in naturalistic class settings between TD students and their classmates with ID and the positive and negative peer sociometric nominations that children with ID received from their TD classmates. Results: At post-test, the children with ID included in the classes randomly assigned to the EG, received more positive sociometric nominations and social behaviours than peers with ID of the CG, and adopted more positive behaviours towards TD peers. Conclusions: The study highlighted the potential of the intervention to promote the school inclusion of students with ID. (Edited publisher abstract)
Relationship between psychiatric disorders and adaptive functioning in adults with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- BERTELLI Marco O., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 10(1), 2016, pp.92-101.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Though the very high prevalence of psychiatric disorders (PD) in people with intellectual disability (PwID), the impact of these disorders on adaptive functioning has been minimally investigated. The purpose of this paper is to assess the impact of the presence of a PD on the adaptive functioning of adults with intellectual disability (ID). Design/methodology/approach: In total, 107 adults with ID living in residential facilities or attending day care centres in Tuscany were consecutively assessed with the Psychiatric Instrument for the Intellectually Disabled Adult (SPAID-G), the Diagnostic Manual-Intellectual Disability (DM-ID) criteria, and the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS). The scores were statistically compared and results were controlled for level of ID and other background variables. Findings: The presence of a PD resulted to have a significant negative impact on individual adaptive skills. Participants with PD scored significantly lower than those without PD in communication and socialisation areas of VABS. Participants with ND scored significantly lower than people without ND in daily living and motor skills. The average scores of participants with only PD and those of participants with PD and ND showed no significant differences. Significant differences were found between participants with only ND and participants with ND and PD in the interpersonal relationship subscale. Originality/value: As far as the best knowledge, this is the first study on the evaluation of the impact of any kind of PD on the abilities of PwID. This paper suggests that the presence of a PD seems to have a relevant negative impact on functioning of PwID higher than that of ND, particularly in communication and socialization skills. (Publisher abstract)
Career interests and self-efficacy beliefs among young adults with an intellectual disability
- Authors:
- NOTA Laura, GINEVRA Maria Cristina, CARRIERI Loredana
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Policy and Practice in Intellectual Disabilities, 7(4), December 2010, pp.250-260.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Work is important for people with disabilities, and fosters their career development and quality of life. Findings from social cognitive theory suggest that transition to work and work inclusion processes should be based on opportunities to explore the world of work, awareness of professional options, and consideration of career interests and self-efficacy beliefs. This study was aimed at verifying whether people with an intellectual disability present interests and self-efficacy beliefs in less complex occupations, and whether self-efficacy beliefs can predict career interests, similar to results observed with individuals without intellectual disability. The study also investigated differences associated with intellectual disability level and with gender. One hundred and twenty-nine young adults with intellectual disability were interviewed about their interests in and self-efficacy beliefs concerning occupations in six different occupational areas (realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising, and conventional). The results showed that participants with intellectual disability tended to be interested in, and have higher self-efficacy belief levels, in low-to-mid-complexity occupations and also showed the predictive role of self-efficacy beliefs. Contrary to expectations, however, no intellectual disability level or gender effects were observed. The findings underscore the importance of very early vocational guidance activities that emphasise these aspects in helping persons with intellectual disability set their professional goals.
Reflections on social integration for people with intellectual disability: does interdependence have a role?
- Author:
- CARNABY Steven
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 23(3), September 1998, pp.219-228.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This article examines the debate concerning the social integration of people with intellectual disability into the local community by considering the concept of independence in theory and in practice. A review of the literature in this area, is followed by a study of the support model in Milan, Italy, which places interdependence at the heart of the approach. The possibility of incorporating interdependence into British services is considered by calling for a reassessment of the ways in which relationships between people with disabilities and people with and without intellectual disabilities are valued by service providers.
Prevalence of co‐occurring psychiatric disorders in adults and adolescents with intellectual disability: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
- Authors:
- MAZZA Mario G., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 33(2), 2020, pp.126-138.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: Subjects with intellectual disability (ID) are vulnerable to experience psychiatric disorders. The present authors performed a systematic review and meta‐analysis to estimate the prevalence of co‐occurring psychiatric disorders, excluding co‐occurring autism spectrum disorders, in subjects with intellectual disability. Method: The present authors performed a random‐effects meta‐analysis of the prevalence of psychiatric disorders in adults and adolescents with intellectual disability. Results: Twenty‐two studies were included. The pooled prevalence of any co‐occurring psychiatric disorders in intellectual disability was 33.6% (95% CI: 25.2%–43.1%) with high heterogeneity but no publication bias. Prevalence was lower in population‐based studies, in studies that used ICD criteria for the psychopathology and in studies with low risk of bias. The prevalence was higher in mild, moderate and severe intellectual disability than in profound intellectual disability. Conclusions: Psychiatric disorders are common in subjects with intellectual disability, and the present authors found that clinical and methodological moderators affect the pooled prevalence. (Edited publisher abstract)
Career adaptability, resilience, and life satisfaction: a mediational analysis in a sample of parents of children with mild intellectual disability
- Authors:
- GINEVRA Maria Cristina, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 43(4), 2018, pp.473-482.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: Parents of children with intellectual disability (ID) have been found to be more likely to experience lower levels of life satisfaction than parents of typically developing children as a result of the increased challenges they experience. Based on a life design approach, which emphasises the role of career adaptability and resilience in dealing with life challenges, this study aimed at analysing the relationship between career adaptability and life satisfaction through the mediational role of resilience in parents of children with mild ID. Method: One hundred and fifty-two (62 fathers and 90 mothers) parents of children with mild ID were involved and were administered measures of life satisfaction, career adaptability, and resilience. Results: The structural equation model showed that career adaptability is indirectly, through resilience, related to life satisfaction. Conclusion: This result has important implications for practice, and it underscores the need to support parents’ life satisfaction, promoting their resilience, and especially their career adaptability. (Publisher abstract)