Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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Working with persons with an intellectual disability: the transferential process between therapist and client and the systems they inhabit
- Authors:
- COTTER Padraig, HOLLWEY Sara, CARR Alan
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 22(3), 2017, pp.136-143.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to appraise “transference” and “countertransference” when working with people with intellectual disabilities (PWID). Design/methodology/approach: A review of the literature was conducted, followed by a discussion. Findings: No research articles were found. Potential reasons for this are discussed. Historical influence, complexity of the topic and resistance among professionals may be contributing factors. Despite this, these phenomena are important for several reasons. These include the high levels of trauma these clients experience; the manner in which they have been marginalised by mainstream society; the strong likelihood of PWID evoking difficult countertransference from therapists; and the myriad of coping mechanisms and defences that these clients may employ. Research limitations/implications: Research is needed to further current understanding of these issues. Practical implications: An awareness of these issues amongst practitioners and other key members of a PWID’s system is important. Originality/value: This is the first review and commentary on these issues. (Publisher abstract)
The impact of four family support programmes for people with a disability in Ireland
- Authors:
- DALY Louise, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 19(1), 2015, pp.34-50.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
Background: This article reports on an evaluation of four family support programmes in Ireland for families of people with a physical or an intellectual disability or autism. The focus of the evaluation, which took place within a year of the programmes’ completion, was on establishing whether the programmes had an impact on families’ capacity to effectively support their family member. Method: A mixed-method design was used, which included a survey (n = 38) and interviews (n = 19) with participating family members. Ethical approval for the study was given by the relevant university ethics committee. Results: Findings suggest that participation in the programmes enhanced knowledge, attitudes, and competencies of families and also impacted their ability to advocate for their family member and to connect with the community. Discussion and conclusions: Whilst outcomes were overwhelmingly positive, further follow-up would be required to ascertain if sustained capacity building took place. (Publisher abstract)
Transition stories: voices of school leavers with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- SCANLON Geraldine, DOYLE Alison
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 49(4), 2021, pp.456-466.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: The principal destinations for school leavers with intellectual disabilities from special schools in Ireland are further education (FE) through providers such as the National Learning Network or training and employment (TE) within adult day services and rehabilitation centres. In 2015, a number of inherent barriers to participation in FE/TE for young people with intellectual disabilities were identified. These were found to be linked to attitudes, stigma and low expectations of their capabilities. This resulted in the development of a supported transition model WALK PEER (Providing Equal Employment Routes). Methods: This study explored the experiences of school leavers with intellectual disabilities who were engaging with the WALK PEER model. Data were collected from a purposive sample of 31 students with intellectual disabilities from two special schools: Group 1 (Pre-transition) students in the penultimate year of formal education, Group 2 (Transitioning) students in the final year of formal education and Group 3 (Post-transition) had left school two years previously. Findings: Engaging in the supported transition programme provided young people with access to information, options, confidence and some of the hard and soft skills required for successful transition into education and employment contexts. Conclusions: The findings demonstrate a strong correlation between support programmes, transition planning and positive transitions, which is critical if young people with intellectual disabilities are to realise their goals. The research proposes a new model of “Supported Transition” that has clear implications for the development of a national transition policy as directed by the Comprehensive Employment Strategy. (Edited publisher abstract)
Positive behaviour support: what model of disability does it represent?
- Authors:
- GREY Ian, LYDON Helena, HEALY Olive
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 41(3), 2016, pp.255-266.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Positive behaviour support (PBS) has become well established as an intervention approach for individuals with intellectual disability and challenging behaviour. However, what remains unexplored is the relationship between PBS and the medical and social models of disability, which historically are the dominant conceptual frameworks put forward in understanding disability. This paper identifies the difficulties in exploring this relationship due to the often simplistic portrayals of such models. Though PBS has a change agenda, typically a characteristic of the medical model, it is change at an ecological level that is central to PBS. An analysis of the practices of PBS demonstrates a concern with pragmatically identifying the interaction between person and environment to reduce the occurrence of challenging behaviour. PBS practices are considered to be more aligned with a supports model because they build an individual ecology of support tied to meaningful quality of life outcomes for individuals with challenging behaviour. (Publisher abstract)
Safe and social: what does it mean anyway??
- Authors:
- TINNEY Grainne, et al
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 43(1), 2015, pp.55-61.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This paper outlines a programme Safe and Social that has been implemented with adults with intellectual disability across multiple contexts in a service based in Ireland. The emphasis within the programme is on providing service users and staff with a framework and the necessary language to discuss social behaviours and boundaries, moving away from an emphasis on rules and regulations. The programme was structured around seven steps: understanding relationships; appropriate and inappropriate behaviours; body parts; private vs. public places; being assertive and saying no; what is 'ok' and 'not ok' to talk about or discuss with different people; summary and 'being safe'. The programme draws on visual supports of three nested circles, red indicating 'not ok', green indicating 'ok' and a central circle that is used to set the topic of discussion. Over a series of seven modules, adults with intellectual disabilities and their support staff are encouraged to collaboratively problem solve some of the behaviours and understandings that can undermine social acceptability and compromise personal safety. Based on positive outcomes over a five-year period, the authors highlight the need for further research to explore the effectiveness of the programme. (Edited publisher abstract)
Abuse, neglect, and exploitation: considerations in aging with lifelong disabilities
- Authors:
- ANSELLO Edward F., O'NEILL Peggy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Elder Abuse and Neglect, 22(1-2), January 2010, pp.105-130.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Place of publication:
- Philadelphia, USA
This article reviews existing data primarily from North America, but including Australia and Ireland, for factors known to contribute to the victimisation of older adults with lifelong learning disabilities. Many “are relatively high functioning, engaged and happy members of their communities”, but some, are or have been abused, neglected or subject to exploitation, and the prevalence of such maltreatment is discussed. Existing data is also scanned for the treatments currently in practice and the authors suggest initiatives to build further on continued community living, by improving upon preventive practices and identification techniques. The authors discuss why there greater risk of abuse for those with lifelong disabilities and why these are underreported. Consequences of maltreatment are listed, followed by the issues and needs of family carers, such as the lack of long-term planning until crisis point. The authors suggest recommendations for practice, such as adapting mental health interventions, and implications for public policies on prevention and identification.
Frontline care in Irish intellectual disability services: the contribution of nurses and non-nurse care staff
- Authors:
- SHEERIN Fintan K., McCONKEY Roy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 12(2), June 2008, pp.127-141.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
The ongoing development of generic intellectual disability services in Ireland, driven by a policy of inclusion and normalization, has posed significant challenges to the interdisciplinary team, with the creation of new frontline carer roles not linked to any particular profession. It is within this context that attention has been focused on the appropriateness of nursing to frontline caring in intellectual disability service provision. The separation of caring and nursing posts that is now evident within many residential services suggests that decisions have already been made regarding the appropriateness of nursing within particular settings. These decisions have, however, been made in the absence of any real attempt to delineate the contribution of nursing to frontline caring in Ireland. This study is the first of its type in Ireland and seeks to set out the unique interventional contribution of nursing and non-nurse caring within frontline intellectual disability services.
A model for training staff in positive behaviour support
- Author:
- DENCH Caroline
- Journal article citation:
- Tizard Learning Disability Review, 10(2), April 2005, pp.24-30.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Although front-line staff are the key agents in delivering positive behavioural competencies, their skills are not very well developed. This article describes a training model that demonstrates effective outcomes for service users, participating staff and the host organisations. Outlines critical elements of the training and describes the principle outcomes.
Role of music therapy in social skills development in children with moderate intellectual disability
- Authors:
- DUFFY Barbara, FULLER Ray
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 13(2), 2000, pp.77-89.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This Irish study investigated the effectiveness of a music therapy programme in the enhancement of the social skills of children with moderate intellectual disability. Thirty-two children (between the ages of 5 and 10 years) from four intellectual disability centres participated. At each centre, four children were randomly selected to participate in the music therapy programme, while four children were assigned to a non-music control group programme. Five social skills were targeted for intervention: turn-taking, imitation, vocalisation, initiation and eye contact. The results reflect significant improvements in the five target social skills across both conditions following the 8-week intervention. However, this difference was found to be independent of the music/non-music intervention.
Linking user and staff perspectives in the evaluation of innovative transition projects for youth with disabilities
- Authors:
- McANANEY Donal F., WYNNE Richard F.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, 20(2), 2016, pp.165-182.
- Publisher:
- Sage
- Place of publication:
- London
A key challenge in formative evaluation is to gather appropriate evidence to inform the continuous improvement of initiatives. In the absence of outcome data, the programme evaluator often must rely on the perceptions of beneficiaries and staff in generating insight into what is making a difference. The article describes the approach adopted in an evaluation of 15 innovative projects supporting school-leavers with disabilities in making the transition to education, work and life in community settings. Two complementary processes provided an insight into what project staff and leadership viewed as the key project activities and features that facilitated successful transition as well as the areas of quality of life (QOL) that participants perceived as having been impacted positively by the projects. A comparison was made between participants’ perceptions of QOL impact with the views of participants in services normally offered by the wider system. This revealed that project participants were significantly more positive in their views than participants in traditional services. In addition, the processes and activities of the more highly rated projects were benchmarked against less highly rated projects and also with usually available services. Even in the context of a range of intervening variables such as level and complexity of participant needs and variations in the stage of development of individual projects, the benchmarking process indicated a number of project characteristics that were highly valued by participants. (Publisher abstract)