Rationale: Research has repeatedly demonstrated that people have difficulty understanding their interrogation rights, as presented in an orally presented police caution. There has been a limited amount of research into possible means of improving understanding, with the application of linguistic, listenability, techniques to caution wording proving most effective amongst students. Methods: This thesis systematically reviewed research exploring verbal caution comprehension amongst adults involved in the criminal justice system, to isolate possible predictors of performance. It then assessed understanding of the Scottish police caution amongst people with an intellectual disability and if this can be improved using a modified (listenability) version. Results: IQ and verbal comprehension appear to have a positive association with understanding. However, the reviewed literature tends to use broad inclusion criteria that may increase confounding variables and reduce opportunity to isolate further possible predictors. People with intellectual disabilities performed poorly in assessment of their understanding of the Scottish police caution, even when the modified version was used. This was despite every participant claiming they had understood. Conclusions: The thesis questions whether the use of a verbal police caution fulfils the intention of communicating interrogation rights as required by law. It suggests more research into caution comprehension is required, with more specific inclusion criteria, to help better understand variables that predict understanding. The relationship between verbal ability and IQ suggest efforts to improve comprehension should be directed to people who have challenges in these abilities, such as people with intellectual disabilities. This should ensure any improvements can benefit a greater number of people. The thesis' empirical study suggests the method found effective amongst students does not extend to people with intellectual disabilities.

Peer, staff, and faculty members who mentored college students with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) completed self-reflections and digital interviews, and participated in focus groups. The information was used to determine whether the mentoring experience affected their attitudes and beliefs regarding individuals with ID as well as whether mentor personal growth occurred as a result of participation in the mentoring experience. The research suggested that participants from all groups of mentees did experience a change in their attitudes and beliefs regarding those with ID. Those changes in attitude and beliefs were overwhelmingly positive. Peer, staff, and faculty mentors also reported many benefits from participation in the mentoring experience including but not limited to increased self-awareness and self-improvement. / Includes bibliography. / Dissertation (Ph.D.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2019. / FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection

Nonemergency transportation drivers play a critical role in helping individuals with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) gain access to community integration opportunities. Challenging behaviors can limit access to enrichment opportunities and possibly increase the likelihood that individuals with ID will be isolated from community enrichment activities. The purpose of this study was to determine if positive behavior support training improved nonemergency transportation drivers' perceptions of challenging behaviors displayed by individuals with ID. For purposes of this study, perception was defined as staff (driver) beliefs about the causes of challenging behavior. A convenience sample of 52 nonemergency transportation drivers was chosen from a Logisticare provider list using local zip codes. Data were collected using the Challenging Behavior Attribution Scale (CHABA) before and after training using the Positive Behavior Support Curriculum 2nd Edition. A 2-way ANOVA revealed no statistically significant differences in perception before or after training. Analysis of the data indicated that training had no impact on driver perception of challenging behavior. The drivers who participated in this study appeared to have positive perceptions of challenging behavior, and, as a result, no statistically significant results were found. Perhaps the results of this study might lead community organizations that support individuals with ID to include transportation drivers in team meetings when there are concerns regarding challenging behavior. The drivers' positive perceptions regarding challenging behaviors may be an asset to support teams in developing positive behavior support strategies that improve the quantity of life for persons with ID.

Magister Curationis - MCur / Caring for people with intellectual disability is stressful as they have a reduced ability to cope independently. The stress may be exacerbated by the challenging behaviours intellectually disabled people display and by the lack of social support that care workers may experience. The aim of this study is to explore and describe care workers’ experience of stress and social support whilst caring for intellectually disabled residents with challenging behaviour. A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive phenomenology study was utilised to answer the research question: “What are the experiences of stress and social support of care workers caring for intellectually disabled residents with challenging behaviour at a residential facility in the Western Cape?” A purposive sampling technique was utilised to select ten care workers working at a residential facility for intellectually disabled residents with challenging behaviour in the Western Cape. Lazarus and Folkman’s transactional model of stress and coping has been used to guide the study. Data were collected by means of semi-structured interviews. Colaizzi’s method of data analysis was used to analyse the data. The four main themes that emerged are: (1) acceptance of abuse as a working condition, (2) interpersonal relationships with colleagues, residents and residents’ families, (3) the selfimpacted by an array of emotions and (4) social support and coping strategies used to deal with the stress experienced. The study concluded that care workers’ training does not prepare them to understand and manage residents with challenging behaviour adequately. Formalised training as well as interpersonal skills building is necessary for them to cope with the stress they experience while working with intellectually disabled residents.

This thesis reports the results of a comparison of the experiences of community participation between two groups of people - people with intellectual disability and non-disabled people. An interview schedule was developed, based on the social integration literature, government policy and a small empirical study. The common factors from these three bases were represented in the interview schedule which covered the areas of degree of social contact with family, friends and neighbours; involvement in the local community; and degree of satisfaction with the local community. Thirty people with intellectual disability and sixty non-disabled people were interviewed using the schedule. The non-disabled people lived in the same street (if possible) or within very close vicinity of the people with intellectual disability. The findings of community participation for people with intellectual disability reflected other research, indicating that this group had limited social contact, and reported few friendships in the community, but participated to a large extent in community activities and made use of community facilities. This group were also inclined to report satisfaction with living in, and feeling like part of the community. For non disabled people, the findings reflect a group that does not particularly feel like part of the community and makes limited use of community facilities. However, this group reported regular contact with family, friends and neighbours. The above findings are discussed with relevance to policy, theory, research and practice.

Little research has been conducted focusing on parent training strategies aimed at teaching parents with an intellectual disability to implement strategies to decrease their child's problem behaviour and increase appropriate behaviours. This study aimed to do two things. First, to examine the effectiveness of an enhanced assessment-based BPT intervention that was implemented by parents with an intellectual disability with children with problem behaviour. Second, the current study also aimed to test the effectiveness of the parent training package used to teach parents to implement the intervention strategies. Importantly, in an attempt to identify the training condition, or combination of conditions, most needed to achieve behaviour change, individual conditions of a multi-condition parent training package were additively introduced during parent training based on the degree of intrusiveness in the target routine combined with the amount of structure required by the teaching strategy. Five parents were taught to implement a functional assessment driven intervention plan aimed at increasing their child's appropriate behaviour and decreasing their problem behaviour during a valued family routine. In order to establish the combination of parent training strategies that were sufficient to teach parents to effectively implement the intervention plan, a series of parent training strategies were introduced in a planned way. The strategies included role-play, verbal instruction, verbal instruction plus feedback, coaching and video-feedback. Results showed that for all parents skill acquisition did not occur until the final phase, video-feedback. Successful implementation of the intervention resulted in a corresponding increase in child appropriate behaviour and decrease in child problem behaviour. In addition to that, parents rated the social validity and contextual fit of the intervention highly.

Delaktighet är ett multidimensionellt fenomen som gynnas av ett flertal faktorer, främst positiva personegenskaper och underlättande faktorer i miljön. Syftet med studien var att undersöka hur vårdare på en gruppbostad för vuxna personer med lindrig utvecklingsstörning uppfattar samt menar sig skapa förutsättningar för brukarnas delaktighet i fritid, mathållning, städ/tvätt och ekonomi. Studien genomfördes med hjälp av 6 individuella intervjuer med halvstrukturerade frågor. Resultatet visade att vårdarna uppfattar brukarnas delaktighet i sin fritid som stor, då självbestämmandet och engagemanget är stort. I mathållningen har brukarna självbestämmande, men de väljer att inte vara delaktiga. Brukarna är delaktiga i städ/tvätt, men engagemanget saknas och i ekonomin har brukarna en mindre delaktighet, på grund av att de har god man. Vårdarna skapar förutsättningar för delaktighet genom att ge brukarna valmöjligheter. Undersökningen har förhoppningsvis bidragit med kunskap för personal som arbetar med personer med funktionshinder.

Psychopharmacological and behavioural interventions are used to treat challenging behaviours (e.g., self-injury, aggression, stereotypy, bizarre vocalizations) in individuals with intellectual disability (ID), often in combination. However, little is known about the behavioural mechanisms underlying psychopharmacological treatment. Establishing a better understanding of these mechanisms could contribute to improving treatment efficacy. For this study, I conducted repeated functional analyses using single-subject experimental designs to assess the impact of naturally varying dosages of psychotropic medications on behaviour function. Four individuals with ID who engaged in challenging behaviour and were undergoing psychotropic medication changes participated. Medication impact across two topographies for one participant, and three topographies for another participant were assessed, for a total of seven cases. For Analysis 1, I calculated standardized mean differences between baseline and final drug administration phases to estimate the overall effect of medication. I used this information to examine whether response rate following drug administration was related to response rate during baseline, referred to as rate-dependency. Rate-dependency was not observed. Analysis 2 explored the relation between psychotropic medications and behaviour function identified through functional analyses. Challenging behaviour was the dependent variable, while functional analysis conditions and psychotropic medication level served as independent variables. The latter was a quasi-experimental variable given participants’ psychiatric team prescribed changes independent of the researchers. Behaviour function correspondence, defined as no function change after a medication manipulation, was observed across 14 of the 21 medication manipulations (67%). / October 2015

Background: Compared to the general population, individuals with intellectual disabilities have a higher prevalence of health problems, including psychiatric and/or behavioural conditions (dual diagnosis). Research suggests that the proportion of persons with intellectual disabilities who have a dual diagnosis ranges from 14% to 64% depending on the population studied and the diagnostic criteria used. However, there is little population-based information in Canada about people with such a dual diagnosis. Objectives: The aims of this study were to estimate the prevalence of psychiatric or behavioural conditions among adults with an intellectual disability in Canada, and to estimate the use of mental health services among these individuals. Methods: This study was a secondary analysis of two cross-sectional, population-based surveys (2005 Canadian Community Health Survey: CCHS and 2006 Participation and Activity Limitation Survey: PALS), and the 2008/09 Survey of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities in South Eastern Ontario: SAID-SEO. Relevant variables were identified in the surveys to answer the study objectives. Confidence intervals were provided for all estimates and the results were compared within subgroups for each survey, as well as between surveys. Results: The proportion of Canadian adults with an intellectual disability is 0.2% according to the CCHS and 0.5% according to the PALS. The proportion of individuals with a dual diagnosis was found to be 31% in the CCHS, 44% in the PALS, and 33% in the SAID-SEO. These prevalence estimates fall within the ranges reported in the literature. Lastly, the majority of adults with a dual diagnosis reported using health services in the past year. Conclusion: According to the three surveys examined (CCHS, PALS, SAID-SEO), psychiatric and behavioural conditions are present in about a third of the individuals with intellectual disabilities, which is in accordance with published literature. However, the estimates of the prevalence of intellectual disabilities in the CCHS and PALS were considerably lower when compared to the literature. Among the surveys, the PALS presented the highest quality of data regarding the population with a dual diagnosis. The surveys found that a majority of individuals with a dual diagnosis access some form of health services at least once a year. / Thesis (Master, Community Health & Epidemiology) -- Queen's University, 2009-10-28 00:15:54.488

In this qualitative study the experience of a young woman with an intellectual disability (ID) auditing a university course was explored from multiple perspectives. This young woman audited a curriculum course in a one-year, after-degree Teacher Education program at an Ontario university. The purpose of this study was to explore the meaning of this experience for the student, her classmates, and her curriculum course instructor. Data were collected at the University from observations of the curriculum course and from interviews with the participants. As well, observations were made at a community-based program that prepares adults with ID to take part in inclusive post-secondary education (IPSE) to provide a description of the preparation of these adults for university experiences. The focal participant attended this program for four months prior to auditing the University course. Data from interviews with the classmates and the course instructor elicited both positive and negative responses concerning their experiences in the inclusive class. Positive responses include seeing inclusion in practice and coming to know the focal participant on a personal level. Negative responses concern whether or not a curriculum class was the right fit for the focal participant. Interview data from the focal participant show that she overwhelmingly enjoyed her experience auditing the Education course. She saw the interaction with same-age peers as a chance to socialize with these peers and as an opportunity to learn about being independent. / Thesis (Master, Education) -- Queen's University, 2010-08-20 15:53:32.108