Conceptualising good mental health for people with intellectual disabilities: An inclusive delphi study

Currently, there is no conceptualisation of good mental health for people with intellectual disabilities (ID). To develop an initial shared understanding of good mental health in this population, an inclusive Delphi study with two survey rounds was conducted.

The Delphi study comprised a total of N = 60 participants in the first round, and 53 in the second round. In sum, 23 experts with ID and 37 mental health experts were included. The Delphi questionnaire applied a universal design, maximising accessibility for experts with and without ID. Participants were asked to rate the relevance of each item for good mental health of people with ID. People with ID served as co-researchers throughout the research process.

In both survey rounds, all items were rated as important for good mental health of people with ID (weighted median ≥ 3 out of 5). In a structural synthesis, the following factors were found to be important: (1) being part of the community, (2) adequate support, (3) social contacts, (4) communication, (5) working and living environment, (6) keeping the body healthy, (7) no mental disorders, (8) healthcare, (9) psychosocial functioning. As the broadest theme, psychosocial functioning included six subthemes, such as emotions, autonomy and self-concept, and doing something meaningful.

This study provides a foundational step towards developing a more inclusive understanding of good mental health for people with ID. The active involvement of co-researchers underscores the value of participatory methods in shaping research outcomes.