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Communication difficulties in adults with Intellectual Disability: Results from a national cross-sectional study
Martine Smith1, Beatrice Manduchi1, Éilish Burke2
1Department of Clinical Speech and Language Studies, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Research in Developmental Disabilities
|December 25, 2019
Summary
Communication difficulties are common in adults with intellectual disability (ID), affecting over half of those surveyed. Factors like ID severity and social participation impact these challenges.
Area of Science:
- Gerontology
- Disability Studies
- Communication Sciences
Background:
- Intellectual disability (ID) is associated with significant communication impairments.
- These impairments negatively affect employment, education, and social integration for individuals with ID.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess communication skills in adults (40+ years) with ID.
- To investigate individual and environmental factors associated with communication abilities in this population.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of data from 601 adults with ID from the Intellectual Disability Supplement to The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (IDS-TILDA).
- Utilized multiple regression and decision-making trees to identify factors linked to communication skills.
Main Results:
- 57.9% of participants reported communication difficulties, with 23.5% experiencing severe issues.
- Verbal communication was present in 75.1%; over half struggled with professionals and unfamiliar individuals.
- Lower ID levels, reduced social participation, challenging behaviors, and Down syndrome diagnosis correlated with communication difficulties.
Conclusions:
- Communication challenges are prevalent in older adults with ID.
- Interventions should address communication needs, opportunities, and barriers to improve quality of life.
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