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Interventions addressing challenging behaviours in Arab children and adults with intellectual disabilities and/or

Shahad Alarifi^1,2, Louise Denne¹, Nouf Alatifi¹

¹Centre for Research in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (CIDD), University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.

Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities : JARID

|February 12, 2024

Abstract

Background:

Arabs with intellectual disabilities and/or autism may exhibit challenging behaviour that affects them and their caregivers. Early, appropriate intervention may reduce these effects. This review synthesised and critically appraised challenging behaviour intervention research for this population.

Methods:

All published empirical research on challenging behaviour interventions for Arabs with intellectual disabilities and/or autism was included. In September 2022, 15 English and Arabic databases yielded 5282 search records. Studies were appraised using the MMAT. Review findings were narratively synthesised.

Results:

The 79 included studies (n = 1243 participants) varied in design, intervention, and evaluation method. Only 12.6% of interventions were well-designed and reported. Arab interventions primarily targeted children, were applied collectively on small samples, lacked individualised assessment, and were based on an inconsistent understanding of challenging behaviour.

Conclusion:

The evidence base on interventions for Arabs with intellectual disabilities and/or autism and challenging behaviour needs strengthening. Attention should be given to culturally relevant adaptations.

Keywords:

Arab population autism challenging behaviour intellectual disability systematic review

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