This thesis is divided into three chapters. A general theme running throughout concerns "the social lives of people described as having a learning disability". Chapter 1 is a critical review, focusing on the literature that has sought to understand how people described as having a learning disability negotiate their identities in the routine and mundane social interactions of their lives. In contrast to earlier research, that has attempted to explore how a "learning disabled identity" is perceived and experienced through direct interviews; the literature in this area offers a different perspective in that all of the studies critiqued use Conversation Analysis [CA] as a methodology. What they illustrate is the influential role of the environment, and more specifically, the roles that professionals and staff can play in relation to empowering or disempowering those whom they support. The contributions of these studies are assessed and clinical implications and recommendations for future research are considered. Chapter 2 is a qualitative study using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to explore friendship in the lives of people described as having a learning disability. For participants in the study, friendship was reported as playing an important role in their lives; however other relationships also had considerable significance. Of particular note were relationships with staff and family members. These relationships were at times spoken about as being welcomed and depended on, but at other times seen as a source of frustration. Limitations of the study are discussed, along with clinical implications and recommendations for future research. Chapter 3 is specifically related to Chapter 2, and provides a reflective account of the experience of undertaking a piece of research within the area of learning disabilities. Particular attention is given to some of the dilemmas and challenges that were encountered along the way.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:538713 |
| Date | January 2010 |
| Creators | Mason, Paul Nicholas |
| Publisher | University of Warwick |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Source | http://wrap.warwick.ac.uk/36752/ |
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