Good mental health for people with intellectual disabilities: a participatory focus group study

Mental health is a fundamental component of overall health. However, it remains unclear whether commonly accepted definitions of good mental health, like the WHO´s, are applicable to people with intellectual disabilities (ID). While there are studies with experts in the field of mental health and ID investigating this issue, the perspectives of people with ID themselves have yet to be adequately represented in this discourse.

We aimed to identify key factors contributing to good mental health in people with ID, based on the perspectives of people with ID as experts on their own account.

Five focus groups with people with ID (N = 20) from different living and working settings were conducted. The data was analyzed and synthesized using reflexive thematic analysis. Following a participatory research approach, people with ID acted as co-researchers throughout the research process, including data analysis.

We found six themes constituting good mental health in people with ID: (1) physical health, (2) working and living environment, (3) social contacts, (4) appropriate support, (5) competencies, and (6) psychosocial functioning. Psychosocial functioning included five sub-themes: (6a) emotions, (6b) self-determination and self-concept, (6c) doing something meaningful, (6d) responding well in social situations, and (6e) having energy and being able to relax.

The findings widely align with the factors outlined in the WHO definition of good mental health. While working productively as well as contributing to the community were not discussed, the relevance of social contacts and individualized support was emphasized. Additionally, this study underscores the added value of considering the unique perspectives of people with ID as experts on their own account and as co-researchers in participatory research settings.