Community Adjustment of Young Adults with Mental Retardation: A Developmental Perspective

The community adjustment of young adults with mental retardation remains a crucial issue for all human service providers. No longer does adjustment imply simply the physical integration of persons with disabilities into community settings. Rather, it refers to the adjustment and integration of the whole person into community life. Whether one describes community adjustment as a process, an outcome, a philosophy, or a multidimensional concept (Bachrach, 1981), community adjustment has become synonymous with the term quality-of-life, a quality that depends in large part on one’s happiness and success in socially sanctioned, age-appropriate tasks

Community Adjustment of Young Adults with Mental Retardation: Overcoming Barriers to Inclusion

Movement of persons with mental retardation out of institutions and into community settings is occurring at an ever-increasing pace (Amado, Lakin, & Menke, 1990). State and federal laws have legitimized the basic rights of persons with mental retardation to live, work, and participate in typical community settings. Yet, physical integration is not synonymous with full community inclusion. Numerous barriers remain that serve as obstacles to successful assimilation into community life. For instance, successful social integration depends on attitudinal changes of persons without mental retardation—families, friends, service-delivery professionals, and the general public—toward persons with mental retardation. The way young adults with mental retardation are perceived by others often restricts their opportunities for participation in activities that allow for development of social relationships, enhancement of self-esteem, and enjoyment of life. Removal of such barriers requires that they first be identified. Action plans and strategies can then be developed to remove, or at the least minimize, effects upon the quality-of-life experienced by this segment of the population

Leisure participation of autistic adults: An ecological momentary assessment feasibility study

Autistic adults participate less and express lower satisfaction in leisure activities than nonautistic adults, although literature is limited. The multifaceted nature of leisure participation makes it challenging to measure, with most measures being retrospective. Ecological momentary assessments (EMA) can reduce recall bias. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of EMA among autistic adults. Participants (N = 40) were recruited via email and online. After completing a baseline interview, participants were asked to complete a once-daily survey for 30 days, in which they received survey links through a text messaging smartphone app. Surveys asked participants to report whether they participated in any leisure activities during the day, their level of enjoyment, with whom they interacted, and where they participated. The EMA appeared feasible in this sample, as participants completed the daily survey on average 27.05 (SD = 3.92) days. Regarding acceptability, most agreed that survey timing was convenient, that it was easy to enter responses and answer questions daily, and that they had enough response time. Overall, this study supports the use of EMA methodology among autistic adults. Future research should follow and improve upon these EMA data collection practices to examine daily behavior and wellbeing among autistic adults

Adults with intellectual disability : choice and control in the context of family

This chapter about the experience of choice and control by adults with intellectual disability in the family context is offered against the background of the tripartite ecological theory of self-determination (Abery and Stancliffe, A tripartite-ecological theory of self-determination. In Wehmeyer et al. (Eds.), Theory in self-determination: Foundations for educational practice (pp. 43–78). Springfield, IL: Charles C. Thomas, 2003). The challenges in determining readiness for adult decision-making are discussed, as are the experiences of adults with intellectual disability when exercising choice and control within the family context. How families, including parents and siblings, influence decision-making by their family member with intellectual disability is summarized. The critical role of the family in supporting independent choice-making is also highlighted. The chapter ends with a call for research about skills and resources for families to become effective, knowledgeable, and confident supporters of their member with intellectual disability in the quest for adult self-determination