Pre- and Post-COVID-19 Outcomes for Israelis With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities in the Community.

Area of Science:

• Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research
• Public Health and Epidemiology
• Psychology and Behavioral Science

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges to community-integrated individuals.
• Understanding the pandemic's impact on vulnerable populations, such as those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine changes in well-being, behavior, relationships, and satisfaction among individuals with IDD before and after the COVID-19 outbreak.
• To assess the pandemic's effects on community living settings and family contact for this population.

Main Methods:

• A pre-post study design was employed to evaluate changes over time.
• Data collected included subjective well-being, adaptive/maladaptive behaviors, relationship quality, community integration, and satisfaction levels.

Main Results:

• Participants reported decreased life satisfaction and adaptive behaviors post-pandemic compared to pre-pandemic.
• Relationships with family and peers weakened, while relationships with staff strengthened after the outbreak.
• Family members' satisfaction with residential and community living settings showed mixed results.

Conclusions:

• The COVID-19 pandemic had predominantly negative effects on the well-being and social connections of individuals with IDD in community settings in Israel.
• Findings highlight the need for targeted support systems to mitigate the adverse impacts of public health crises on this population.