Application of a Lifestyle Development Process for Persons with Severe Intellectual Disabilities: A Case Study Report

This report summarizes the results of four data-based case studies that examined the efficacy of the Lifestyle Development Process (LDP) for persons with severe disabilities. The process involves five steps, described in detail in the paper. The planning process was implemented by means of a consultant model, and involved planning meetings, on-site visits, in-service training, problem solving, written program planning, and demonstrations of instructional techniques. The consulting teams were composed of educational and behavioral consultants. Four persons with severe disabilities and challenging behaviors were participants. These individuals resided in four communities in the Province of British Columbia, and received consultative services from 1989 through 1991. All four individuals engaged in a greater number of preferred, integrated activities during the mid- and posttests than at baseline. Their social networks and program quality scores also showed various degrees of improvement. The behavior problems that were reported at the referral stage were substantially reduced at the posttest for all individuals. These results are discussed in relation to previous research in the areas of lifestyle planning and behavior management. Problems in implementing the process by means of a consultant model are also discussed, and areas for future research are identified.