Challenges of having a loving partner: the views of adults with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND: Making decisions about feelings and relationships is a challenge for many people with intellectual disabilities (ID). The aim of this article is to explore their opinions regarding the difficulties they experience in relation to having a partner and living together. METHOD: Nine advisers with ID with experience in inclusive research discussed issues about having a loving partner during 8 meetings. Discussions were recorded, and a thematic content analysis was conducted. RESULTS: The results show that the network of social relationships, control over one's own intimate relationships, obtaining the right support and having training in couple relationships are key elements in people with ID having a satisfying couple relationship. CONCLUSIONS: The research gives visibility to the difficulties that people with ID encounter in having intimate couple relationships and sheds light on the need to undertake actions that contribute to their right to intimate citizenship.

Personal Support Networks of Young People with Mild Intellectual Disabilities during the Transition to Adult Life.

Social support networks occupy a priority position requiring attention in the processes of social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities, during their transition to adult life. The objective of the study was to analyze social support from a relational approach through Personal Network Analysis. A total of 41 young people with mild intellectual disabilities participated in the study, in two groups differentiated according to their educational stage, either compulsory secondary education or post-compulsory training. Descriptive and comparative results are presented based on the variables of structure, composition, and functional content in the social support of their personal networks. The results show that both groups have restricted personal networks, made up of members of the family and the educational environment who constitute the main providers of support. When moving towards adult life, the change in social contacts in other educational, geographical, and relational settings may mean a change in the provision of support received in previous life stages. Developing social and educational actions to support these people in the development and maintenance of social relationships is essential to their access to support resources that will affect their social inclusion.

Intellectual disability and independent living: Professionals' views via a Delphi study.

BACKGROUND: The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (2006) states that people have the right to decide where to live and with whom. Professionals play a key role in supporting processes for independent living (IL). This research aimed to identify which ideas generated more or less consensus among professionals regarding the role of different agents involved in the processes of IL in Spain. METHOD: The Delphi method was applied to an expert panel of 25 professionals. RESULTS: A high consensus was reached regarding the role that people with intellectual disabilities, their families and their natural support networks play in supporting IL processes, but there was less consensus on the role played by organizations and professionals. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights the need to promote practices that favour the decision-making capacity of individuals to move towards models of support based on community and the human rights model.

The role of professionals in promoting independent living: Perspectives of self-advocates and front-line managers.

BACKGROUND: Support from professionals plays an important role in helping people with intellectual disabilities to live an independent life. This research aims to analyse the role played by support professionals based on the perceptions of the professionals and self-advocates with intellectual disabilities. The research was conducted in Catalonia (Spain). METHOD: A total of 33 interviews were conducted with front-line managers and 10 focus groups with 72 self-advocates. These were recorded and transcribed, and then analysed using thematic content analysis. RESULTS: Self-advocates particularly value professionals' interpersonal skills and emotional support. Front-line managers and self-advocates highlight training actions aimed at enhancing autonomy in the home and propose fostering natural supports and increasing the involvement of people with disabilities. CONCLUSIONS: Making progress in the rights of people with intellectual disabilities to an independent life requires requires transforming the support model, promoting decision making among people with intellectual disabilities, and strengthening interpersonal skills linked to emotional support in the training of professionals.

Evaluating a Research Training Programme for People with Intellectual Disabilities Participating in Inclusive Research: The Views of Participants.

BACKGROUND: This article presents the results of evaluating a research training programme aimed at developing the skills of people with intellectual disabilities to actively participate in inclusive research. METHODS: The present authors opted for a responsive approach to evaluation, using a combination of interviews, questionnaires and focus groups to gather information on the views of students, trainers and members of the research team regarding how the programme progressed, the learning achieved and participants' satisfaction with the programme. RESULTS: The evaluation showed that most of the participants were satisfied with the programme and provided guidelines for planning contents and materials, demonstrating the usefulness of these types of programme in constructing the research group and empowering people with intellectual disabilities to participate in research. CONCLUSIONS: The evaluation revealed that the programme had been a positive social experience that fostered interest in lifelong learning for people with intellectual disabilities.

Doing Research Together: A Study on the Views of Advisors with Intellectual Disabilities and Non-Disabled Researchers Collaborating in Research.

BACKGROUND: Despite an increase in inclusive studies in recent years, research on the views of the people with and without disabilities who have participated in these studies is scarce. The aim of this study was to explore the perceptions and views of advisors with intellectual disabilities and non-disabled researchers who collaborated together on a joint project to study transition to adulthood. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two questionnaires were devised, one for advisors and one for researchers; two focus groups were held with people with intellectual disabilities, three focus groups with researchers, and one focus group with all participants together. Thematic analysis was used for the data analysis. RESULTS: The advisors valued this experience as an opportunity to learn new skills, freely express themselves on matters that affect them, and engage in a socially valued activity. The researchers considered that the participation of people with intellectual disabilities contributed to improving the quality of the research. CONCLUSIONS: The study provides a better understanding of inclusive research processes by taking into account participants' views.

Work integration of people with disabilities in the regular labour market: what can we do to improve these processes?

BACKGROUND: It is important to ensure that regular processes of labour market integration are available for all citizens. METHOD: Thematic content analysis techniques, using semi-structured group interviews, were used to identify the principal elements contributing to the processes of integrating people with disabilities into the regular labour market. Thirty-two professionals from 17 agencies provided information regarding the role of the family, training, workplace monitoring, the work setting, and personal resources of the worker. RESULTS: The results indicated that family, training (prior to and during the integration service), monitoring of the worker in the workplace, and work setting were relevant and contributing aspects of the process of work integration. CONCLUSIONS: A real and effective commitment on the part of the government is required to regulate and provide resources to create supported employment services and to allow these services to plan their own interventions, keeping in mind the relevance of and relationship between aspects such as family, training, workplace monitoring, the work setting and personal resources of the worker.