Invisible populations: Who is missing from research in intellectual disability?

It is estimated that approximately 41% of adults with intellectual and developmental disability (IDD) are served through the developmental disabilities (DD) system in the US. The remaining 59% include individuals who meet diagnostic criteria but are not actively receiving paid services or may not be known to the DD system. Scholars have referred to this group as the "hidden majority." Very little is known about the health and well-being of these adults. It remains to be seen if the hidden majority is comparably susceptible to mental health difficulties, given how little is known about this population by DD systems. The purpose of this manuscript is to highlight where one may identify individuals belonging to this hidden population and how researchers might effectively recruit from this group so as to ensure more representative samples of all people with IDD.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the health, wellbeing, and access to services of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) may be especially vulnerable to changes associated with the COVID-19 pandemic given an increased likelihood of health concerns, low socioeconomic status, and difficulty accessing services. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to explore mental health problems and services in individuals with IDD during the pandemic. We explored whether number of mental health problems differed by disability, age, gender, living situation, physical health, and access to services. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: An online survey about experiences during the pandemic was administered to adults with IDD and their caregivers in the United States and in Chile. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: In both Chile and the United States, few people endorsed increased health problems. Half of the sample in Chile and 41 % of the sample in the United States endorsed increased mental health problems. Approximately 15 % of the sample in the US reported no longer receiving state developmental disability services. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Healthcare and disability-specific agencies should consider strategies to tailor supports to improve mental health functioning and access to community.

Coparenting and Child Outcomes in Families of Children Previously Identified With Developmental Delay.

The current study explored cross-sectional relations between coparenting quality and child problem behaviors, as measured by parent report and direct observation, in families of school-aged children previously identified with a developmental delay in early childhood. Parents' reports of difficulty with coparenting problems predicted child problem behaviors. For primary caregivers, parenting self-efficacy mediated the relation between coparenting quality and problem behaviors. Observed undermining behavior significantly positively predicted child appropriate behavior across specific tasks and observed partner support behavior significantly negatively predicted child appropriate behavior across specific tasks. Discussion focuses on the clinical significance of these findings and future research directions.