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Talking about real-life events: an investigation into the ability of people with intellectual disabilities to make links between their beliefs and emotions within dialogue
- Authors:
- HEBBLETHWAITE Amy, JAHODA Andrew, DAGNAN Dave
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 24(6), November 2011, pp.543-553.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study explored how adults with mild-moderate intellectual disabilities talk about emotive real-life experiences and whether they identify and make links between events, beliefs and emotions within their narratives. A cognitive-emotive interview was used to assist 19 adults with intellectual disabilities from the west of Scotland and 19 adults without disabilities to generate an account of an emotive, interpersonal event. Participants (mean age 42-43 years, 23 women in total) also completed a cognitive mediation task and an assessment of intellectual and verbal ability. Between-group analyses indicated that participants with intellectual disabilities scored significantly lower than those without disabilities on the cognitive-emotive interview and the cognitive mediation task. Participants with intellectual disabilities generated fewer beliefs within their dialogues and were less likely to provide alternative perspectives on events. Within-group comparisons showed no significant association between the ability to talk about events, beliefs and emotions within a dialogue and performance on a cognitive mediation task, or with Full Scale or Verbal IQ scores. The authors conclude that because participants with intellectual disabilities had more difficulties in talking about events, beliefs and emotions they are likely to require assistance to reflect on events and consider alternative interpretations, which take into account individual and environmental factors.