Recruitment to intellectual disability research: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Disability Studies
• Medical Research
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Recruitment challenges for adults with intellectual disability (ID) are known but under-researched.
• Understanding these difficulties is crucial for advancing ID research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate specific recruitment difficulties encountered in an ID research project.
• To inform and improve future recruitment strategies for intellectual disability research.

Main Methods:

• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with intermediaries involved in recruitment.
• Interviews took place between September 2009 and May 2010.
• Data were transcribed and analyzed using the Framework approach to identify key themes.

Main Results:

• Participant factors included interview anxiety, understanding research concepts, and fear of negative feedback.
• Researcher's personal approach and pre-recruitment meetings were important.
• Motivators identified were enjoyment of the interview (participant) and medical assessment (carer).

Conclusions:

• Intermediary experiences offer valuable insights for enhancing ID research recruitment.
• Strategies include a more personal researcher approach, multiple meetings, and considering participant/carer motivators.
• Improved recruitment processes are essential for the progress of intellectual disability research and can save time and resources.