Journal of Intellectual Disabilities

People with intellectual disability experience disproportionately high rates of interpersonal violence (IPV) due, in part, to disability-related risks that often can be minimized through targeted intervention. In this article, we describe using an academic and community participatory research approach to develop and test the feasibility of an accessible IPV prevention program for people with intellectual disability. The Safety Class, which is an interactive, structured, eight-session, weekly face-to-face group program, was found feasible for implementation in an efficacy study. Working in partnership with the intellectual disability community through all phases of the project helps ensure the relevance, inclusion, and accessibility of The Safety Class.

The transformational role education plays in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities has not been fully examined. The purpose of this study was to explore and investigate the meanings people with intellectual disabilities construct of their experiences in post-secondary and higher education. Heideggerian hermeneutic phenomenology was the qualitative methodology adopted for the study. Individual interviews were conducted with 27 people with intellectual disabilities and analysed in stages. These stages included the creation of I-Poems offering a unique opportunity for individual participant voices to be heard. Three core themes emerged to describe living an authentic life: learning (with the emphasis on increased skills, independence and opportunities); relationships (in particular, the importance of friendships), and perceptions including the existing realities of life for those with intellectual disabilities. The findings advance previous work highlighting the link between living a more authentic life and how education transforms how people with intellectual disabilities view themselves.

Borderline intellectual functioning is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by an intelligence quotient (IQ) in the range of 70–85. The present study aimed to investigate the mathematical abilities and the working memory of students with borderline intellectual functioning (BIF). The sample group included 10 year-old students with BIF (n = 85) and with average non-verbal IQ (n = 45). The children were assessed in non-verbal intelligence, numerical ability and working memory. Our results showed an impairment of mathematical skills, especially in the operation tasks, and working memory in children with BIF, compared to typically developing peers. Generally, their skills seemed to be consistent with intelligence scores (WOND and AWMA scores ≥ 70). In some cases, children with BIF could have mathematical difficulties (WOND < 70). In general, they showed visuospatial short-term memory and central executive subsystem more damaged than non-verbal intelligence while the verbal short-term memory was similar to the IQ.

Due to the increased prevalence of obesity and disparity experienced by youth with intellectual disabilities, efforts to synthesize existing knowledge of interventions to attenuate obesity within this marginalized population is imperative. The purpose of this investigation is to systematically analyze interventions targeting anthropometric changes in youth with intellectual disabilities. A search of Cumulative Index of Nursing and Allied Health Literature, Educational Resources Information Center, Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online, and Psychological Information Database was conducted for the time frame of January 2006 to October 2016. Data extraction resulted in a total of 10 interventions that met inclusion criteria. Included studies mainly comprised participants having mild-to-moderate intellectual disability with diverse comorbidities. Five studies indicated significant positive outcomes in at least one anthropometric measure. The majority of programs utilized physical activity targeting individual-level change as the primary intervention modality. Weaknesses of the reviewed studies and inconclusive evidence indicate the need for additional research to gauge the effectiveness of interventions to treat obesity among youth with intellectual disabilities.

A good life is the ultimate goal of a number of theories and approaches to providing supports and services for people with intellectual disability. This article examines four list theories of a good life for people with intellectual disability. Twelve themes of a good life were identified using a basic or conventional content analysis: higher meaning and purpose, respect, rights, social inclusion and belonging, close relationships, contribution, voice and choice, emotional well-being, growth and development, home, materiality, and health. Remarkable similarities in items between these four list theories suggest a broad underlying consensus as to the basic elements a good life for people with intellectual disability.