I’ve always been curious as to how intellectual disability affects what people with the disorder perceive in others. Specifically, my question is, what do people with intellectual disability think about the social support they receive and how it affects them?
In a study, the researchers were trying to see how social support and stress impacted an individual with intellectual disability, while also measuring mental illness. What I really liked about the methodology in this experiment was that they did a random sample from 25 states and not focus on a particular state so it makes it a bit more generalizable since it included 10,627 participants. Results showed that adults living with parents had the lowest rates of mental illness followed by living independently, and living in a home with other people with mental disorders. It was shown that people with a mental disorder were less likely to exhibit behavior problems when living with members of a family while on the opposite scale, living in an institution made them more likely to have behavioral problems. People with a high level of intellectual disability, were more likely to report high stress but depended on the place they were living, people with intellectual disability living with parents were less likely to be stressed and reported higher levels of social support.
It is suggested that family support is important for people with an intellectual disability and that they are less stressed due to this social support. It makes sense to say this because if someone is at an institution with strangers all around them will more likely be stressed due to a new surrounding and won’t be seeing the familiar faces that they grew up with. This is an important study since it can be applicable for children in the sense that they are living with their parents in which the social support they receive from them is a protective factor against stress and exhibiting behavior problems.
Scott, Haleigh M., & Havercamp, Susan M. (2014). Mental Health for People with Intellectual Disability: The Impact of Stress and Social Support. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 119 (6), 552-564.
This is a very interesting question. I wonder if the lessening of stress when around family has to due with the understanding that comes from family. I would think that, naturally, a parent would be more understanding of their child than a paid caretaker would be of what they might perceive as just another patient. I would wonder, however, why there is no support from like-minded people. One would thing being in an environment of similar mental ability would lead to some level of friendships or relationships with others who can better relate. I wonder why that I snot necessarily the case or the results found in this study.
This makes sense, especially with what I know about mitigating factors in children with externalizing behavior disorders--not the same, but potentially comparable. I wonder if parent training or family environment modification could be helpful to both parents and children with IDD?
Hi Aaron, Your post was very interesting. It makes complete sense that a child with intellectual disability would need social support. That seems to be a universal conclusion for most disorders. What I worry about, is how will that child cope when they are an adult and their parents have possibly passed or unable to take care of themselves anymore. What happens to adults with intellectual disabilities when they have no one left?
Hey Aaron, This was a really interesting question and something good to think about. I have a family friend that has a moderate intellectual disability that is an older adult. She currently lives in residential care and moved into it when her mother's health jeopardized her own care. You can always see a difference in the way she acts when she first gets to a get together compared to being around everyone for a couple of hours. Her family said that growing up she was very mean and always played the "older cousin" role, but has a very soft heart for certain people she's around. She's also a twin to a perfectly healthy and "normal" brother, which was pretty cool to find out. So I do think being around people that they know can change behaviors and attitudes towards others.
Aaron- Interesting thought! I can see easily how having IDD can play a part in stress. Although I do not have a family member who has IDD, I have met one person who has. It requires a lot of attention and thought. Family support is crucial and I'm sure it puts a lot of stress overall on the immediate care takers or even friends.
While reading the chapter, I began to wonder about parent involvement and secondary education options for children with IDD. I found an article that looked into parent involvement in post-school experiences. The schools I know, allow individuals with IDD to stay in school until they are 21 and then options become limited depending on their developmental level. After determining participants for this study they looked at 8 of the original 23 participants. This study looked at data from a previous study that conducted semi-structured phone interviews. During the phone interview parents were asked to describe their child, how their child spent their time, what services were used, etc. They looked into how involved parents were in post-school experiences and how they felt about their involvement. After further analysis, they found three sub-themes; attitudinal facilitators, advocacy efforts and perceptions, and strategic actions. Within the categories they described further categories such as; having high expectations for their child, persistent advocacy in the face of rejection, and maximizing independence from parents. They found the more parental involvement that the participants had resulted in children's post-school outcomes. This study further shows that parental involvement is really important. It is important to educate parents who have children with IDD that way we can help them maximize their abilities and everything they want to do. This also doesn't stop at parental education, this continues into community education and finding ways to help involve individuals with IDD into the community that they live in.
Rossetti, Z., Lehr, D., Pelerin, D., Huang, S., & Lederer, L. (2016). Parent Involvement in Meaningful Post-School Experiences for Young Adults With IDD and Pervasive Support Needs. Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, 54(4), 260-272. doi:10.1352/1934-9556-54.4.260
This is such an interesting post! I love how you looked at the familial aspect, because parental involvement seems to be a recurring theme in abnormal children. I never thought of community involvement also playing a role in children with IDD. It makes me wonder in what specific ways the community can help individuals with IDD. Overall, this was a great post!
I found your post extremely interesting. I know when I was in high school, students with IDD could stay in school longer as well. I think parental involvement really helps the child stay motivated to keep learning since they are learning at a slower rate.
Megan, I'm glad you looked into how families are involved with children who have IDD. My brother actually was diagnosed as having IDD, and for a while my mom couldn't find any resources to try and help him continue his education. Lucky for us, the school district we were in offered so much assistance that he now is attending college! Without my mom I don't think he would have been able to be where he is today, so parent involvement is crucial in my opinion for individuals with a learning disability.
I remember you talking about this in class and it caught my interest. It seems that such a simple thing to do like involvement, can often be forgotten. While parent involvement is essential and necessary, could community involvement replace parent involvement if there are no parents involved? And if so how effects would this community involvement be? I would assume that community involvement could have similar advantages but not the same.
The text included several bits of information about intellectual disabilities in children and the effects they have on their behaviors and emotions. After reading this chapter, I had a better understanding of how challenging it might be for those children and adolescents who are living with an intellectual disability. My question was, however, what sort of challenges might these children and adolescents face during their transition into adulthood? Do their behaviors or emotions change in anyway during this transition? One interesting article I found was able to compare adolescents with and without Down syndrome as they made the transition into adulthood. The study described in the article followed two different cohorts: (1) those with Down syndrome (wave one) and (2) those without Down syndrome but living with an intellectual disability due to another cause (wave two). This was a longitudinal study which followed and observed the two cohorts at three different periods of time. During the first period, the average age was 13.4 for wave one and 11.8 for wave two, for the second period the average ages were 21.07 for wave one and 19.2 for wave two, and lastly, the average ages at the third period were 23.5 for wave one and 23.2 for wave two. As for the gender ratio, females took up just shy of half of the populations for both cohorts. The study compared the scores of the two different cohorts in six different behavioral/emotional categories: (1) disruptive, (2) communication disturbance, (3) anxiety, (4) social relating, (5) depressive, and (6) self-absorbed. The results showed that when compared to those without Down syndrome, those with Down syndrome scored lower on all six categories with an exception to communication disturbance. This shows that those with Down syndrome showed less behavioral problems as they transitioned into adulthood. For all categories, minus the social relating, the participants with Down syndrome showed a decrease in their behaviors as they got older. In conclusion, this study showed that adolescents with Down syndrome show a decrease in certain behaviors as they transition from teens to adults. Such behaviors include disruptiveness, communication disturbances, anxieties, depression, and self-absorption. I found the results of this study to be encouraging. Although it might be a challenge to live with an intellectual disability such as Down syndrome, it is uplifting to be aware of the possibility that one can overcome the behavioral and emotional problems they may face. Foley, Kitty-Rose, John Taffe, Jenny Bourke, Stuart L. Einfeld, Bruce J. Tounge, Julian Trollor, and Helen Leonard. "Young People with Intellectual Disability Transitioning to Adulthood: Do Behaviour Trajectories Differ in Those with and without Down Syndrome?" POLS One, 8 July 2016. Web. 23 Oct. 2016
This was such an interesting question to pose. We all go through emotional changes during our transitions into adolescence, and I have never stopped to think about what role an intellectual disability could play on these hormonal changes. I find it very interesting that so many of the negative emotional behaviors of Down Syndrome go down as an individual transitions. That data is quite similar to what I imagine any child would be. For that reason, I agree that it is very encouraging to know that Down Syndrome does not intensify emotional behaviors with age. This study was very thorough.
This is really interesting from a hormonal/biological perspective as well. I would love to do a hormone analysis on children with ID in puberty--is the way their body responds to hormones and adolescence-related stress (universal to all of us) functionally similar to TD teenagers? If so, that substantiates the decrease in problematic behaviors as well. It's good to know that some things are universal in teens, even those with IDD. :)
Hi Lacy, Your post was very interesting. I am glad that these issues decrease as those with IDD transition to adulthood. This would make it easier for parents who are aging themselves to care for their child with intellectual disabilities. I also am interesting in the comorbidity between those with an intellectual disability and the percentage that also have anxiety or depression. Do these medications work the same way biologically?
Lacy, Thanks for informing us that things do get better as these individuals age. My question is, does more than just behavior change? For example, as we transition into adult hood we begin to think about having children and getting married. I would like to see a study comparing the goals of those with down syndrome. I have definitely seen several instances where two individuals with down syndrome decide on having children and getting married. I would like to know how this effects the couple and also the children that they will potentially raise.
This chapter on intellectual disability reminded me of my elementary school years. Often, my class would cross paths with the "Special Ed" classes. They made attempts to have the children in both classes intermingle, but is usually resulted in children from my own class bullying those with an intellectual disability, which is extremely unfortunate and awful. This made me want to research how are social interactions different between those with and without an intellectual disability. More specifically, are children with an intellectual disability socially isolated?
In a study by Guralnick, researchers acknowledged the risk of social isolation for children with Down Syndrome. The studied compared children with and without Down Syndrome in a variety of social settings including school, home, and other community settings. The children ranged from pre-school to grade school in age. The mothers of these children played a crucial role in the data collection process of this study. Mothers responded to questionnaires pertaining to their child's peer involvement, peer arrangements and monitoring per the mothers as in the mothers arranging playdates, and their beliefs about their child's inclusion in social situations. The study found that there were no significant differences when it came to peer involvement or arranging and monitoring between children with and without Down Syndrome. Although, the data did show a lack in children with Down Syndrome having a "best friend," but they did have long-lasting relationships. Researchers also found that the mothers of children with Down Syndrome reported more positive responses about their child's peer involvement and inclusion.
This study was very encouraging. Despite my memories of bullies in childhood, it was great to see that there is not a significant difference socially between children with and without Down Syndrome. It is also encouraging to see that the mothers of these children with Down Syndrome have positive feedback in regard to social situations and that they recognize healthy and quality relationships formed by their children.
Guralnick, M. J. (2002). Involvement with peers: comparisons between young children with and without Down's syndrome. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research: JIDR, 46(Pt 5), 379-393.
When I was in high school my best friend at the time her aunt was one of the teachers for the "special ed" kids. Every once in a while I would go in with her to see her aunt and the students in there would just start talking to us. They were so friendly and nice and happy. I never really noticed them getting bullied but I didn't hang around much at school unless it was in the gym. I do know from them talking to me or my friend that they sometimes did get made fun of by other students just because they were different. So they did stay in that room more often to be with each other then getting out of it. It broke my heart to hear that someone could do that to them when everyone in that room was so nice and just wanted to be friends with everyone. So you asked a great question and I really enjoyed reading it!
Alex-Marie, Your blog post was very encouraging to read. However, it did make me want to know more about what these social interactions looked like in the study. How were the kids with Down syndrome interacting with the kids without DS, and vice versa (more specifically)? Were there any social barriers between the two groups, and if so, how were they overcome in order to create the positive interactions that were reported? In this study, you said that the mothers' reports played a huge roll in the results. If this was the only way in which the researchers gathered their information, my critique on the study would be that observing the children in directly would of been a more effective method. Overall, your post was an interesting read and you did an excellent job of relating your real life experiences to the material we discussing in this class!
Alex-Marie, Your blog post was very encouraging to read. However, it did make me want to know more about what these social interactions looked like in the study. How were the kids with Down syndrome interacting with the kids without DS, and vice versa (more specifically)? Were there any social barriers between the two groups, and if so, how were they overcome in order to create the positive interactions that were reported? In this study, you said that the mothers' reports played a huge roll in the results. If this was the only way in which the researchers gathered their information, my critique on the study would be that observing the children in directly would of been a more effective method. Overall, your post was an interesting read and you did an excellent job of relating your real life experiences to the material we discussing in this class!
When I was in middle school, there was this course offered called Teen Leadership (biggest blow off class ever). There was one aspect that I absolutely adored about the class, every other thursday a few of us would go into the special ed room and spend the class period with them playing, and sometimes teaching them math or how to read. You could tell how much of an impact it made in their lives to feel like one of the "normal" kids for once, we even had some of their parents come up to us crying and hugging us telling us how much happier their kids were since we started visiting their class room.
Throughout middle school and high school I had an incredibly close relationship with quite a few of the SPED kids that I went to school with. Many of them I met while in a Home Ec. type class where we learned how to basically take care of ourselves. Those kids had some of the biggest personalities and were so nice every time I would see them. I knew that if I ever needed a hug, I could count on getting one in class as soon as I saw any of the students. I actually am Facebook friends with one of the guys that I graduated with and it's so good to see him living his life as a "normal" 20 year old that has a job and connects with his former classmates.
Alex, The first question that came to mind after reading your blog post was how accurate are these mothers? I'm wondering if there is some similarity among the way individuals with down syndrome see themselves and the way those with ADHD see themselves. I remember learning that those with ADHD often have a more positive view of themselves than others do. Do individuals with down syndrome also have this more positive view that may not be accurate? I feel like a child may think they have positive interactions and relationships and feel like they are well liked, but could in fact feel this way due to naivety. I agree with a previous commenter that indirect observation would be effective in this sort of study.
Alex- I think it can be a good and bad thing to mix people with IDD and without. I believe that people who have IDD need attention and social interaction to get the best quality of life, however, they might be seen or treated differently by children or adult. I can impact them in a huge way. It was great to read how people with Down Syndrome to have lasting relationships. It makes me happy!
While I have limited experiences with children with intellectual disabilities myself, especially Down syndrome specifically, I have often heard some variation of "these children are so sweet and genuine" or something similar when others describe interaction with them. I was curious if that level of socioemotional interaction was empirically supported, so I looked at an article analyzing socio-cognitive understanding in youth with Down syndrome (DS).
Wishart's 2007 meta-analysis of socio-cognitive understanding in this population, however, does not appear to support the anecdotal evidence I have heard. Children with Down syndrome specifically have statistically significant deficits in emotion recognition by the time of comparable mental age, a extremely important part of normal social interaction--if you cannot recognize sadness, fear, or happiness when you see it, it is difficult to gauge the tone of a conversation. Further, in collaborative tasks, DS children exhibit more "parallel work" rather than "collaborative work" with other children with intellectual disabilities, implying that their impetus to be social is not as high as might be assumed by cultural understanding of Down syndrome. This is also in line with my limited experience of adults with non-specific intellectual disabiliy (NSID), though none with Down syndrome. The adults I worked with ran the gamut of normal human personality--some very sweet, kind, and social, some very much not, and most somewhere in between.
However, this highlights the importance of behavioral and social skills training in children with intellectual disability, because if such people are to interact in typically developing society, it would be helpful to fulfil the assumption that others have of them--at least until such assumption is rectified. However, since other studies in this thread seem to imply that their is limited difference in social interaction, I am also curious about the role of parents and parental monitoring in the social interaction of children with DS, especially with TD children.
Wishart, J. G. (2007). Socio-cognitive understanding: A strength or weakness in Down's syndrome?. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research, 51(12), 996-1005. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2007.01007.x
I really enjoyed reading your post! I have actually heard the same comments, so it was nice to learn about some of the research behind it. I like how this study emphasizes the uniqueness of DS children and their personalities. It seems that people can unconsciously group these children into a category, labeling them all one way, which makes me wonder if there are any effective communal education programs on DS currently in place. Overall, this was a great post!
Elyssa, Your post was very interesting. There are definitely a mix of emotions across the people I have encountered with IDD and DS. I find most of them to be very pleasant and uplifting because they have a different take on the world than we do. I think as society it is easier for us to look at the positive outcomes for those with DS and other IDD diagnosis even though there are some children and adults who aren't as sweet, kind, and social. I think it is important for ourselves as a society to recognize all of it that way when we meet those who are not as social and easy to get along with, we are able to understand them and where they are coming from a bit more! Megan
Elyssa, I never thought of this! It is very interesting how they are unable to gauge a social situation and know what emotions are being expressed by other people. Social and behavioral skills should be taught to all children, and especially in those with an intellectual disability. These are important skills to learn so they know what is acceptable in social settings while also helping them recognize different emotions and how they are expressed. It is also of high importance for other without intellectual disability to be able to understand, communicate, and recognize what those with disabilities need.
While reading about children with intellectual disabilities, it reminded me of my time volunteering at an equine therapy facility. Even though I do not have an intellectual disability my time in childhood spent raising horses taught me: balance, muscle strength, responsibility, and created an emotional bond with an animal. As soon as I started college, I wanted to find a way to help those who struggle with an intellectual disability attain those beneficial aspects of being around horses. I found an article that discusses the muscle deficiencies and slow response time in children with intellectual disabilities. The experimental group did hippo therapy twice a week for 14 weeks. The control group did not attend hippo therapy. After the 14 weeks were up, the researchers found that there was a significant improvement in muscle strength and response time in children who attended hippo therapy in comparison to those children who did not. One thing that I believe this study could expand on is the emotional wellbeing that can also be improved using hippo therapy. In my own experience as an instructor, the children attain a trusting bond with the horse, but also learn and develop a social relationship with other students in their class. The students learn not only to trust the horse, but it also gives them a physical outlet for affection.
Giagozoglu, P. (2013, September). Muscle reaction function of individuals with intellectual disabilities may be improved through therapeutic use of a horse. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34(9), 2442-2448. http://dx.doi.org.lib-e2.lib.ttu.edu/10.1016/j.ridd.2013.04.015
I wonder is the muscle deficiencies associated with IDD could be in correlation with playtime interaction. While most children play with others, maintaining a healthy amount of physical activity, children with IDD might not have as many opportunities to have similar playtime interactions.
This chapter is over intellectual disability and while reading this chapter it got me thinking about children who are in a mainstream school with an intellectual disability. At the school I work at, we have a few children across all of the age groups that have intellectual disabilities. Last week one of the other children asked me about why that kid, as he put it, was bigger than him and couldn’t talk. This got me thinking, what are the affects of having positive social relationships in school for kids on kids with intellectual disabilities? The study I found was on children who were considered in normal functioning range but who were still considered intellectually disabled. These children were put in social skills groups to help improve their functioning in school and to encourage them to think. The results of this study showed that with the extra interaction, they were more engaged and made advancements in regards to completing tasks and improved gross and fine motor skills. They also were given social positive reinforcement when they were correct. This research is important because that means in positive and god environments, children with intellectual disability will be able to become more high functioning. This is not only a benefit for them but also those around them as well. I know the girl in my class gets frustrated with herself because she knows she’s different and the other children know it too. With a program like this, she could gain confidence and ability to be more independent.
Plavnick, J. B., Kaid, T., & Macfarland, M. C. (2015). Effects of a School-Based Social Skills Training Program for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability. J Autism Dev Disord Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(9), 2674-2690. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2434-5
I liked this study and outcome you talked about. I have been around kids with intellectual disabilities and worked with them a lot in high school! I always wondered about ways they could work on social relationships and ways they could gain such confidence and be more independent. I actually want to read this article to see more about what was involved in their social skills groups and about the positive reinforcement! Good job!
I found your post very interesting because I remember back in middle school and high school days, seeing all the kids in the special needs classes and feeling bad because they did not interact with other kids very much. I agree with your post and believe it is very important to have children with IDD interact with others and put them in a positive environment to help them succeed not only in school but also with social situations. Overall very good post!
I found your article very interesting! It makes sense that having more interaction allows children to be come better at social skills. Do you know if the study was done at a private school, public school, or at an outside facility? I think all too often children with IDD in public schools are separated from other children, which doesn't allow for social interaction, which may be harming the children with IDD.
Leeann, Its great to hear that a program such as the one mentioned in your blog post had shown such positive results. Living with an intellectual disability presents its own challenges in many different aspects of a child's life, social interactions being one of them. If a child with an intellectual disability was given the tools to perform better in social settings, I think it would do wonders for his/her development and self-esteem. Like you mentioned, the girl in your school who has an intellectual disability knows shes different than her peers. Although that was a little saddening to hear, it shows how beneficial programs like the one in the study could be for children just like the girl at your school. Receiving acceptance and maintaining positive relationships with peers would be a very uplifting, and possibly life changing, experience for those intellectually disabled children who interact with other students on a day to day basis.
Leeann, Its great to hear that a program such as the one mentioned in your blog post had shown such positive results. Living with an intellectual disability presents its own challenges in many different aspects of a child's life, social interactions being one of them. If a child with an intellectual disability was given the tools to perform better in social settings, I think it would do wonders for his/her development and self-esteem. Like you mentioned, the girl in your school who has an intellectual disability knows shes different than her peers. Although that was a little saddening to hear, it shows how beneficial programs like the one in the study could be for children just like the girl at your school. Receiving acceptance and maintaining positive relationships with peers would be a very uplifting, and possibly life changing, experience for those intellectually disabled children who interact with other students on a day to day basis.
After reading through the textbook chapter about intellectual disability, I was intrigued with the enormous impact an intellectual disability can have on the child, family, and community. Specifically, I noticed that many reported the impact that children with an intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) can have on everyone else, and that those reports were predominantly negative. I noted the same trend while searching through research articles online, most of them reviewing the stress/problems an IDD child can cause on the mother or the parents or the family. It made me wonder: Can IDD children bring specific positive impacts on the people around them? If so, what are those positive effects?
Although research uncovers a highly negative interaction between IDD children and professionals, some common themes were discovered displaying the positives impacts IDD children can have on their family. In a qualitative study, families (who have an IDD child) reported an increased sense of purpose and priorities, spirituality, and tolerance and understanding. In addition to those impacts, other themes were presented, such as personal growth and strength, source of joy and happiness, expanded social and personal networks and community involvement, source of family unity and closeness, and positive impacts on others community. Overall, this study was fascinating and enjoyable to read. It was beneficial to learn about the variety of impacts of IDD children and the different aspects of intellectual disability.
Stainton, T., & Besser, H. (1998, March). The positive impact of children with an intellectual disability on the family. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 23(1), 57-70. Retrieved October 24, 2016, from PsycINFO.
Erin, I found your post interesting because I am constantly around kids and adults with IDD and have been my whole life. My brother and cousin have IDD. My brother is high functioning and on the Autism scale and my cousin is Autistic and has Downs. I, being the sister and cousin, have only found such joy and love because of never having to do the parenting and tough part. I do know it was difficult for both sets of parents because it was an unfamiliar world to them at first. Some parents are very scared and don't know what to do and others dive in with love and joy for their child. It was definitely hard being younger than my brother but getting things first, such as a car and drivers license. My parents had to find a balance of letting go and guidance that was different for myself and other brother. I met so many people and have gotten into many more things because of having family members with IDD. I personally think my cousin and brother have the best outlooks on life with such love and joy but know that it is harder for others. It is important to find support and community involvement for families and individuals with IDD because it can make all the difference. Megan
Erin, I found your post interesting because I am constantly around kids and adults with IDD and have been my whole life. My brother and cousin have IDD. My brother is high functioning and on the Autism scale and my cousin is Autistic and has Downs. I, being the sister and cousin, have only found such joy and love because of never having to do the parenting and tough part. I do know it was difficult for both sets of parents because it was an unfamiliar world to them at first. Some parents are very scared and don't know what to do and others dive in with love and joy for their child. It was definitely hard being younger than my brother but getting things first, such as a car and drivers license. My parents had to find a balance of letting go and guidance that was different for myself and other brother. I met so many people and have gotten into many more things because of having family members with IDD. I personally think my cousin and brother have the best outlooks on life with such love and joy but know that it is harder for others. It is important to find support and community involvement for families and individuals with IDD because it can make all the difference. Megan
I really enjoyed your response since it's something that I didn't really think about. I think that you're right in the sense that a child with IDD can bring so many positive things to a family since they have to be strong so that way their child can receive the best care possible. I think that families with children who are diagnosed with IDD are definitely more emotionally connected to one another because they all share the responsibility of taking care of this child. I think that research has been done, but I'm sure that siblings of a child with IDD see how their parents are so supportive of the child with IDD and see how important helping each other is. Overall, I do think that it definitely brings a family together.
I found your post interesting because I also thought about how kids with IDD affected their family members and people around them. I researched how kids with Down Syndrome affected their siblings and found that there were mostly positive effects. Usually the siblings were more kind and more responsible because they are usually having to help take care of their sibling with Down Syndrome. I thought it was a positive effect because compared to other kids who did not have a sibling with Down Syndrome, they were more nurturing. I do think there can be some negative effects on the family but I believe it can really bring a family together. Overall very good post!
I currently work in a lab that studies working memory and I have also just covered working memory in my cognition class. While I was reading this chapter, I was curious to see if children with intellectual development disorder (IDD) have a lower working memory than children who have specific learning disorder (SLD).
The article I found had children with IDD and SLD and they were comparing intelligence with different tests. The participants were 267 children between the ages of 6-16. Children were places in either in SLD-typical, SLD-borderline, which meant that other diagnoses may be the focus of clinical attention, and IDD. The children were given tests that cover verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. I found it interesting that although children with IDD scored lower than SLD-typical and SLD-borderline, that they remained consistent throughout the four categories. IDD working memory was even slightly better than the other three categories, which was what I was mostly curious about. It found that for children with IDD using the Full Scale IQ test to measure intellect since it surveys the four categories and children with IDD tended to score around the same level. To answer my original question, the study found that children with SLD had a higher working memory than children with IDD. I was not surprised because I think most children with IDD are at a lower functioning level than children with any learning disorders.
Cornoldi, C., Giofrè, D., Orsini, A., & Pezzuti, L. (2014). Differences in the intellectual profile of children with intellectual vs. Learning disability. Research In Developmental Disabilities, 35(9), 2224-2230. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.05.013
I found it interesting that in the study conducted, it was found that the children with IDD were consistent in the 4 categories. This is especially interesting due to the fact that they were scoring higher in the working memory section. This made me think about how important memory for these children is and even though in some cases, they can't communicate very well, their memory can tell a lot about them. This makes me think about the way that they grow to see how the people that take care of them are seen so fondly by these children with IDD and how they don't like being separated from the people who take care of them. Maybe due to the fact that they see them so much, it is engraved in their memory that they will take care of them which is why I think that it's a healthier environment for children with IDD to be with their family instead of a health institution.
After reading the section on intellectual disability, I was really interested in how it not only affected the child with the disability but also how it affected the family members. I found many articles about how a child with an intellectual disability affects the mother but that was about it. I thought about how close I am with my siblings and I wanted to know how siblings reacted to a child with an intellectual disability.
I researched and happened to find a study done by Monica Cuskelly and Pat Gunn in 2003. They researched sibling relationships with of children with Down Syndrome and took the perspectives of the mother, fathers and the siblings themselves. This study used 54 families with and without a child with Down Syndrome. In parental reports there were no big differences but children with a sibling who had Down Syndrome were reported to have less acts of unkindness and "if in same sex dyad, more empathy than did comparison children". This study also found that children who had a sibling with Down Syndrome tended to do more caregiving activities which the researchers paired with having more empathy. Overall, siblings of children with Down Syndrome seemed to be more empathetic, nurturing, and overall a little more kind than those children without a sibling with Down Syndrome.
Monica Cuskelly and Pat Gunn (2003) Sibling Relationships of Children With Down Syndrome: Perspectives of Mothers, Fathers, and Siblings. American Journal on Mental Retardation: July 2003, Vol. 108, No. 4, pp. 234-244.
I like the point you make! We learn a lot about the impact and affects on parents, but usually not much on siblings. Seeing the results of this study makes a lot of sense. My mom teaches intellectual disabled children, so I have been around them a lot or met the families. Just by observing and knowing families like this, I see how these siblings are more empathetic, nurturing, and kinder! Good job and perspective!
I don't know why I never wondered how it would affect the siblings. I was always more concerned with how it affected the parents more. Since I have a second cousin who has ID I have always just heard how it is affecting her parents and I never heard about how her brother deals with it. Every time I do see them together though he is extremely nice and helpful towards her and understanding. Also from watching videos of siblings with their ID siblings you can see how much they care for each other and how much more kind and nurturing they can be compared to those who don't have a sibling with ID.
Desiree, What an awesome question! I would have never thought of that. I have a cousin with down syndrome and can attest to the study you found. My cousins treat their sister no different they any of their other siblings. My cousin's oldest sister Megan is the sweetest person you could ever meet and because of her sister wants to work with children who have disabilities! Its such an amazing thing to see how awesome these kids turn out, because they want their own sibling to be treated like everyone else!
After reading this chapter I found it very interesting that children with IDD suffer from trouble regulating emotions and behaviors. I have a 10 year old cousin with down syndrome and it took her 5 years to be able to talk. So up until then, everything was an ordeal with her. This made me wonder if it was common for children who have IDD to have developmental delays.
In looking for an answer to my question I found a very interesting case study. It was about a 7 year old boy with developmental delays and learning problems. The mother had a normal pregnancy, and even had a normal birth. When the child was born he had to stay in the NICU because he was jaundice, but other than that no issues. He wouldn't latch onto the mother's nipple so, he had to be formula fed. He didn't sleep through the night until age 2, and was later diagnosed with asthma. Parents used stimulant medication and reported that the child became "zombie like". After this they stopped stimulant medication. Studies were done and it was later found that the boy had both ADHD and IDD.
This to me was a very shocking study. This boy was healthy and what seemed relatively normal!
Armstrong, K. H. (2013). A case study: Intellectual and developmental disabilities. In A. S. Davis, A. S. Davis (Eds.) , Psychopathology of childhood and adolescence: A neuropsychological approach (pp. 45-49). New York, NY, US: Springer Publishing Co.
While reading, I became interested in the association of depression in intellectual disabilities. What is this association, if any? Does self-report play a role? Also, what is the prevalence of depression in intellectual disability individuals?
I actually found an article that answered majority of my questions. There had actually been no previous studies done on this association. They had 229 participants that had intellectual disability and NO mental illness. In their study with self-reports, they found that self-report was positively associated with such psychological distress and negative association with quality of life. Also noted is that depression in intellectual disabilities falls between 3% and 6%.The studied concluded that such poor self-stigma can result in poorer psychological health. My only concern after reading this study is the role of IQ and how this effects self-stigma and their self-report. Even the study mentioned it was not formally assessed and should be in future experiments. Hopefully a study incorporating this can come up with evidence-based treatments to reduce such poor stigmas and help their psychological health.
Ali, A., King, M., Strydom, A., & Hassiotis, A. (2015). Self-reported stigma and symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with intellectual disabilities: Findings from a cross sectional study in England. Journal Of Affective Disorders, 187224-231. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.07.046
Morgan, I really liked your question because it was something that I wondered too. I thought it was interesting that the association fell between 3-6%. I would think that the association between the two would be more significant but your article you found proves otherwise. Good post!
My dad has a cousin whose daughter (my second cousin) has an intellectual disability (I don't know them that well so I'm not sure exactly how she is), but both of her parents are extremely adventurous and athletic and enjoy the outdoors. They love taking their kids on hikes and they try to get their daughter out every time they go. She does not like going with them because she has a harder time keeping up with them, and she gets embarrassed every time they have to stop and wait for her or stop so she can catch her breath. I honestly have no experience with people who have any disabilities, besides the couple of times I have talked to her, so I was curious if people with intellectual disabilities also have a harder time developing physical endurance/fitness?
I found a research paper where they did an experiment between children with ID and typically developing children. The study showed that the children with ID showed lower aerobic and muscular fitness compared to the child that developed normally. Just like my second cousin did not have motivation to join her family, the study shows that individuals with ID experience barriers with physical activities where they don't want to participate. It also says that there was ,however, improvement in their physical ability as their age increased. Overall, it says that children with ID can maintain and/or improve their fitness, but "stimulating physical fitness should start already in young children(>8)" and more attention should be spent on children with a more "severe cognitive impairment."
After reading the article it made sense as to why she never really wanted to join her family on their hikes or physical activities. Her parents are always very positive towards her and when they talk about it they seem to think it works a little bit to get her more motivated. So I wonder if children with ID get encouraged more to do more physical activities if they would be more willing to become more active, instead of them feeling ashamed of not being able to keep up with everyone.
Hartman, E., Smith, J., Westendorp, M., & Visscher, C. (2015). Development of physical fitness in children with intellectual disabilities. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research, 59(5), 439-449. doi:10.1111/jir.12142
It is interesting that you ask that question at the end of your post: "if children with ID get encouraged more to do more physical activities if they would be more willing to become more active instead of feeling ashamed..." In my post, I looked at a study whose primary focus was to figure out what different factors encouraged/discouraged children with Down syndrome to exercise or be physically active. The study found that the parents have a huge influence on how comfortable the children feel about physical activity, so it is great that your second cousin and their spouse are so encouraging to their daughter. Granted, this study focused on children with Down syndrome in particular, but if I were to guess I'd have to say that the results would be comparable to other intellectual disabilities. If you'd like, you could read my post to see what other things the study found (my post is the last one at the bottom). Thank you for your post! I found it super interesting!!
While reading this chapter, I started to think about how intellectual disabilities in children effect their direct caregivers.
I found an article that answered my question. There was a study that was conducted that looked at a sample of 216 families with children who had IDD and/ or autism. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory. The results were that mothers who had children with autism (mean: 11.8) had higher depression scores than mothers who had children with IDD without autism (mean 9.2). In contrast, fathers overall had less depression than mothers. Mothers who were single-parents were at most risk for severe depression than those who live with a partner.
This study in general did not shock me very much. Typically the mothers are most affected by their children having a disability because they have a greater attachment. I also could see how mothers who did not have a partner to help would be at a great risk for severe depression because no one is there to help in such a difficult time.
Olsson, M. B., & Hwang, C. P. (2001). Depression in mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 45(6), 535–543. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2788.2001.00372.x
Christina, I agree with you in that I'm not surprised about the results for mothers to have depression and even more severe depression if they are single. I am, however, now more interested in what effects if any occur for the fathers. I wonder if there are any studies on if they change at all with raising children with ID. I would assume that fathers are more frustrated and may have aggressive outbursts because they tend to be less patient.
Christina, I found your article to be very intriguing. I'm not shocked that mothers show signs of depression, but to me its shocking that fathers wouldn't have the same levels of depression. I can also understand why a single mother would be more depressed, considering taking care of a healthy child is trying on its own. It would be interesting to do another study to see how fathers compared to mothers show depressive symptoms when having a child with IDD or autism.
I think this topic is interesting. I know a family with a child with ID, and I've always wondered how it could affect the parents. They would never say anything negative, but I always thought it had to impact them in some way.
Also, as for the mothers having a higher rate of depression in the study you found, I wonder if that could be due to the fact that women are more likely to become depressed in general. That could be a contributing factor as to why depression is more prevalent in mothers of children with ID as opposed to their fathers. Great post!
When reading about intellectual disabilities in Chapter five of our textbook, this one picture of a young boy with Down syndrome throwing a football caught my eye. The caption explained that sport events are a great way to promote independence, social competence, and self-esteem in children with IDs. Since I am a Kinesiology major, this sparked my interest in how physically active children with Down syndrome are compared to children without Down syndrome. I found that children diagnosed with Down syndrome are significantly less active than other children. I then wondered, what factors could encourage or discourage children with Down syndrome from participating in physical activity?
To my surprise, I found an article that studied exactly what I was looking for! This study took a sample of families with children with Down syndrome, and asked them questions regarding their child and what facilitates or becomes a barrier to them participating in physical activity. The researchers found that there were 4 common facilitators and 4 common barriers to physical activity in the children with Down syndrome in the study. The facilitators were if the family created a positive association with exercise for the child, the opportunity for positive social interaction with peers, if there were specific programs to provide adaptations for their disability, and if the children were physically skilled or determined to succeed. The barriers to physical activity included those characteristics commonly associated with Down syndrome (e.g. obesity, heart defects, etc), reduced physical or behavior skills, and if there is a lack of adaptive programs available. Another barrier to physical activity for the children was the family itself. If the child required full supervision when engaging in physical activity, sometimes the parents would become the barrier because they were unable to provide supervision and therefore the child was not allowed to partake in the activity. It seems that some of the barriers could be overcome by the family and the child, but I could see how a child could be less active if they have all of these barriers to exercise that most other children don’t have to deal with.
Barr, M., & Shields, N. (2011). Identifying the barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with Down syndrome. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(11), 1020-1033. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2011.01425.x
Rachel, this was a perspective I did not consider! It is understandable how children with intellectual disabilities and their exercise habits are affected by different aspects of their environment. Parents don't always have time on top of work and helping their children with the necessities to incorporate time for sports and exercise. In order to help those with intellectual disabilities and/or Down Syndrome become more active communities should become more involved to provide low cost programs that are adapted to those disabilities. Also, more exercise programs should be encouraged by friends and family to improve their perspective and expectancy of life.
Rachel, I think your study findings are quite intriguing, I believe the last barrier to engaging in activity and how the families may have other obligations and cannot provide supervisions can be helped if new organizations were created. By this I mean, what if Middle Schools and High Schools tried implanting programs for ID or Down Syndrome kids specifically to be able to participate with the supervision of older and trained students? I think something of that nature would allow them to be physically active while engaging socially with new people. I know a lot of schools have friends helping friends programs, so something like that but more geared toward physical activity/sports might be a cool idea.
I am also a Kinesiology major so I think it is interesting the effects that exercise has on children with different disabilities. I thought it was interesting how it was a positive association. It got me thinking if there are special programs for kids in the area that have down syndrome or other disorders to get them active so it's not as hard on the parents. Great post!
I’ve always been curious as to how intellectual disability affects what people with the disorder perceive in others. Specifically, my question is, what do people with intellectual disability think about the social support they receive and how it affects them?
ReplyDeleteIn a study, the researchers were trying to see how social support and stress impacted an individual with intellectual disability, while also measuring mental illness. What I really liked about the methodology in this experiment was that they did a random sample from 25 states and not focus on a particular state so it makes it a bit more generalizable since it included 10,627 participants. Results showed that adults living with parents had the lowest rates of mental illness followed by living independently, and living in a home with other people with mental disorders. It was shown that people with a mental disorder were less likely to exhibit behavior problems when living with members of a family while on the opposite scale, living in an institution made them more likely to have behavioral problems. People with a high level of intellectual disability, were more likely to report high stress but depended on the place they were living, people with intellectual disability living with parents were less likely to be stressed and reported higher levels of social support.
It is suggested that family support is important for people with an intellectual disability and that they are less stressed due to this social support. It makes sense to say this because if someone is at an institution with strangers all around them will more likely be stressed due to a new surrounding and won’t be seeing the familiar faces that they grew up with. This is an important study since it can be applicable for children in the sense that they are living with their parents in which the social support they receive from them is a protective factor against stress and exhibiting behavior problems.
Scott, Haleigh M., & Havercamp, Susan M. (2014). Mental Health for People with Intellectual Disability: The Impact of Stress and Social Support. American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, 119 (6), 552-564.
Aaron,
DeleteThis is a very interesting question. I wonder if the lessening of stress when around family has to due with the understanding that comes from family. I would think that, naturally, a parent would be more understanding of their child than a paid caretaker would be of what they might perceive as just another patient. I would wonder, however, why there is no support from like-minded people. One would thing being in an environment of similar mental ability would lead to some level of friendships or relationships with others who can better relate. I wonder why that I snot necessarily the case or the results found in this study.
Hi, Aaron,
DeleteThis makes sense, especially with what I know about mitigating factors in children with externalizing behavior disorders--not the same, but potentially comparable. I wonder if parent training or family environment modification could be helpful to both parents and children with IDD?
Hi Aaron,
DeleteYour post was very interesting. It makes complete sense that a child with intellectual disability would need social support. That seems to be a universal conclusion for most disorders. What I worry about, is how will that child cope when they are an adult and their parents have possibly passed or unable to take care of themselves anymore. What happens to adults with intellectual disabilities when they have no one left?
Hey Aaron,
DeleteThis was a really interesting question and something good to think about. I have a family friend that has a moderate intellectual disability that is an older adult. She currently lives in residential care and moved into it when her mother's health jeopardized her own care. You can always see a difference in the way she acts when she first gets to a get together compared to being around everyone for a couple of hours. Her family said that growing up she was very mean and always played the "older cousin" role, but has a very soft heart for certain people she's around. She's also a twin to a perfectly healthy and "normal" brother, which was pretty cool to find out. So I do think being around people that they know can change behaviors and attitudes towards others.
Aaron-
DeleteInteresting thought! I can see easily how having IDD can play a part in stress. Although I do not have a family member who has IDD, I have met one person who has. It requires a lot of attention and thought. Family support is crucial and I'm sure it puts a lot of stress overall on the immediate care takers or even friends.
Great post!!
While reading the chapter, I began to wonder about parent involvement and secondary education options for children with IDD.
ReplyDeleteI found an article that looked into parent involvement in post-school experiences. The schools I know, allow individuals with IDD to stay in school until they are 21 and then options become limited depending on their developmental level. After determining participants for this study they looked at 8 of the original 23 participants. This study looked at data from a previous study that conducted semi-structured phone interviews. During the phone interview parents were asked to describe their child, how their child spent their time, what services were used, etc. They looked into how involved parents were in post-school experiences and how they felt about their involvement. After further analysis, they found three sub-themes; attitudinal facilitators, advocacy efforts and perceptions, and strategic actions. Within the categories they described further categories such as; having high expectations for their child, persistent advocacy in the face of rejection, and maximizing independence from parents. They found the more parental involvement that the participants had resulted in children's post-school outcomes. This study further shows that parental involvement is really important. It is important to educate parents who have children with IDD that way we can help them maximize their abilities and everything they want to do. This also doesn't stop at parental education, this continues into community education and finding ways to help involve individuals with IDD into the community that they live in.
Rossetti, Z., Lehr, D., Pelerin, D., Huang, S., & Lederer, L. (2016). Parent Involvement in Meaningful Post-School Experiences for Young Adults With IDD and Pervasive Support Needs. Intellectual And Developmental Disabilities, 54(4), 260-272. doi:10.1352/1934-9556-54.4.260
Megan,
DeleteThis is such an interesting post! I love how you looked at the familial aspect, because parental involvement seems to be a recurring theme in abnormal children. I never thought of community involvement also playing a role in children with IDD. It makes me wonder in what specific ways the community can help individuals with IDD. Overall, this was a great post!
Erin Cameron
Megan,
DeleteI found your post extremely interesting. I know when I was in high school, students with IDD could stay in school longer as well. I think parental involvement really helps the child stay motivated to keep learning since they are learning at a slower rate.
Megan,
DeleteI'm glad you looked into how families are involved with children who have IDD. My brother actually was diagnosed as having IDD, and for a while my mom couldn't find any resources to try and help him continue his education. Lucky for us, the school district we were in offered so much assistance that he now is attending college! Without my mom I don't think he would have been able to be where he is today, so parent involvement is crucial in my opinion for individuals with a learning disability.
I remember you talking about this in class and it caught my interest. It seems that such a simple thing to do like involvement, can often be forgotten. While parent involvement is essential and necessary, could community involvement replace parent involvement if there are no parents involved? And if so how effects would this community involvement be? I would assume that community involvement could have similar advantages but not the same.
DeleteThe text included several bits of information about intellectual disabilities in children and the effects they have on their behaviors and emotions. After reading this chapter, I had a better understanding of how challenging it might be for those children and adolescents who are living with an intellectual disability. My question was, however, what sort of challenges might these children and adolescents face during their transition into adulthood? Do their behaviors or emotions change in anyway during this transition? One interesting article I found was able to compare adolescents with and without Down syndrome as they made the transition into adulthood.
ReplyDeleteThe study described in the article followed two different cohorts: (1) those with Down syndrome (wave one) and (2) those without Down syndrome but living with an intellectual disability due to another cause (wave two). This was a longitudinal study which followed and observed the two cohorts at three different periods of time. During the first period, the average age was 13.4 for wave one and 11.8 for wave two, for the second period the average ages were 21.07 for wave one and 19.2 for wave two, and lastly, the average ages at the third period were 23.5 for wave one and 23.2 for wave two. As for the gender ratio, females took up just shy of half of the populations for both cohorts. The study compared the scores of the two different cohorts in six different behavioral/emotional categories: (1) disruptive, (2) communication disturbance, (3) anxiety, (4) social relating, (5) depressive, and (6) self-absorbed. The results showed that when compared to those without Down syndrome, those with Down syndrome scored lower on all six categories with an exception to communication disturbance. This shows that those with Down syndrome showed less behavioral problems as they transitioned into adulthood. For all categories, minus the social relating, the participants with Down syndrome showed a decrease in their behaviors as they got older.
In conclusion, this study showed that adolescents with Down syndrome show a decrease in certain behaviors as they transition from teens to adults. Such behaviors include disruptiveness, communication disturbances, anxieties, depression, and self-absorption. I found the results of this study to be encouraging. Although it might be a challenge to live with an intellectual disability such as Down syndrome, it is uplifting to be aware of the possibility that one can overcome the behavioral and emotional problems they may face.
Foley, Kitty-Rose, John Taffe, Jenny Bourke, Stuart L. Einfeld, Bruce J. Tounge, Julian Trollor, and Helen Leonard. "Young People with Intellectual Disability Transitioning to Adulthood: Do Behaviour Trajectories Differ in Those with and without Down Syndrome?" POLS One, 8 July 2016. Web. 23 Oct. 2016
Lacy,
DeleteThis was such an interesting question to pose. We all go through emotional changes during our transitions into adolescence, and I have never stopped to think about what role an intellectual disability could play on these hormonal changes. I find it very interesting that so many of the negative emotional behaviors of Down Syndrome go down as an individual transitions. That data is quite similar to what I imagine any child would be. For that reason, I agree that it is very encouraging to know that Down Syndrome does not intensify emotional behaviors with age. This study was very thorough.
Hey, Lacy--
DeleteThis is really interesting from a hormonal/biological perspective as well. I would love to do a hormone analysis on children with ID in puberty--is the way their body responds to hormones and adolescence-related stress (universal to all of us) functionally similar to TD teenagers? If so, that substantiates the decrease in problematic behaviors as well. It's good to know that some things are universal in teens, even those with IDD. :)
Hi Lacy,
DeleteYour post was very interesting. I am glad that these issues decrease as those with IDD transition to adulthood. This would make it easier for parents who are aging themselves to care for their child with intellectual disabilities. I also am interesting in the comorbidity between those with an intellectual disability and the percentage that also have anxiety or depression. Do these medications work the same way biologically?
Lacy,
DeleteThanks for informing us that things do get better as these individuals age. My question is, does more than just behavior change? For example, as we transition into adult hood we begin to think about having children and getting married. I would like to see a study comparing the goals of those with down syndrome. I have definitely seen several instances where two individuals with down syndrome decide on having children and getting married. I would like to know how this effects the couple and also the children that they will potentially raise.
This chapter on intellectual disability reminded me of my elementary school years. Often, my class would cross paths with the "Special Ed" classes. They made attempts to have the children in both classes intermingle, but is usually resulted in children from my own class bullying those with an intellectual disability, which is extremely unfortunate and awful. This made me want to research how are social interactions different between those with and without an intellectual disability. More specifically, are children with an intellectual disability socially isolated?
ReplyDeleteIn a study by Guralnick, researchers acknowledged the risk of social isolation for children with Down Syndrome. The studied compared children with and without Down Syndrome in a variety of social settings including school, home, and other community settings. The children ranged from pre-school to grade school in age. The mothers of these children played a crucial role in the data collection process of this study. Mothers responded to questionnaires pertaining to their child's peer involvement, peer arrangements and monitoring per the mothers as in the mothers arranging playdates, and their beliefs about their child's inclusion in social situations. The study found that there were no significant differences when it came to peer involvement or arranging and monitoring between children with and without Down Syndrome. Although, the data did show a lack in children with Down Syndrome having a "best friend," but they did have long-lasting relationships. Researchers also found that the mothers of children with Down Syndrome reported more positive responses about their child's peer involvement and inclusion.
This study was very encouraging. Despite my memories of bullies in childhood, it was great to see that there is not a significant difference socially between children with and without Down Syndrome. It is also encouraging to see that the mothers of these children with Down Syndrome have positive feedback in regard to social situations and that they recognize healthy and quality relationships formed by their children.
Guralnick, M. J. (2002). Involvement with peers: comparisons between young children with and without Down's syndrome. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research: JIDR, 46(Pt 5), 379-393.
When I was in high school my best friend at the time her aunt was one of the teachers for the "special ed" kids. Every once in a while I would go in with her to see her aunt and the students in there would just start talking to us. They were so friendly and nice and happy. I never really noticed them getting bullied but I didn't hang around much at school unless it was in the gym. I do know from them talking to me or my friend that they sometimes did get made fun of by other students just because they were different. So they did stay in that room more often to be with each other then getting out of it. It broke my heart to hear that someone could do that to them when everyone in that room was so nice and just wanted to be friends with everyone. So you asked a great question and I really enjoyed reading it!
DeleteAlex-Marie,
DeleteYour blog post was very encouraging to read. However, it did make me want to know more about what these social interactions looked like in the study. How were the kids with Down syndrome interacting with the kids without DS, and vice versa (more specifically)? Were there any social barriers between the two groups, and if so, how were they overcome in order to create the positive interactions that were reported? In this study, you said that the mothers' reports played a huge roll in the results. If this was the only way in which the researchers gathered their information, my critique on the study would be that observing the children in directly would of been a more effective method. Overall, your post was an interesting read and you did an excellent job of relating your real life experiences to the material we discussing in this class!
Alex-Marie,
DeleteYour blog post was very encouraging to read. However, it did make me want to know more about what these social interactions looked like in the study. How were the kids with Down syndrome interacting with the kids without DS, and vice versa (more specifically)? Were there any social barriers between the two groups, and if so, how were they overcome in order to create the positive interactions that were reported? In this study, you said that the mothers' reports played a huge roll in the results. If this was the only way in which the researchers gathered their information, my critique on the study would be that observing the children in directly would of been a more effective method. Overall, your post was an interesting read and you did an excellent job of relating your real life experiences to the material we discussing in this class!
When I was in middle school, there was this course offered called Teen Leadership (biggest blow off class ever). There was one aspect that I absolutely adored about the class, every other thursday a few of us would go into the special ed room and spend the class period with them playing, and sometimes teaching them math or how to read. You could tell how much of an impact it made in their lives to feel like one of the "normal" kids for once, we even had some of their parents come up to us crying and hugging us telling us how much happier their kids were since we started visiting their class room.
DeleteThroughout middle school and high school I had an incredibly close relationship with quite a few of the SPED kids that I went to school with. Many of them I met while in a Home Ec. type class where we learned how to basically take care of ourselves. Those kids had some of the biggest personalities and were so nice every time I would see them. I knew that if I ever needed a hug, I could count on getting one in class as soon as I saw any of the students. I actually am Facebook friends with one of the guys that I graduated with and it's so good to see him living his life as a "normal" 20 year old that has a job and connects with his former classmates.
DeleteAlex,
DeleteThe first question that came to mind after reading your blog post was how accurate are these mothers? I'm wondering if there is some similarity among the way individuals with down syndrome see themselves and the way those with ADHD see themselves. I remember learning that those with ADHD often have a more positive view of themselves than others do. Do individuals with down syndrome also have this more positive view that may not be accurate? I feel like a child may think they have positive interactions and relationships and feel like they are well liked, but could in fact feel this way due to naivety. I agree with a previous commenter that indirect observation would be effective in this sort of study.
Alex-
DeleteI think it can be a good and bad thing to mix people with IDD and without. I believe that people who have IDD need attention and social interaction to get the best quality of life, however, they might be seen or treated differently by children or adult. I can impact them in a huge way. It was great to read how people with Down Syndrome to have lasting relationships. It makes me happy!
Overall, great post!! Very interesting.
While I have limited experiences with children with intellectual disabilities myself, especially Down syndrome specifically, I have often heard some variation of "these children are so sweet and genuine" or something similar when others describe interaction with them. I was curious if that level of socioemotional interaction was empirically supported, so I looked at an article analyzing socio-cognitive understanding in youth with Down syndrome (DS).
ReplyDeleteWishart's 2007 meta-analysis of socio-cognitive understanding in this population, however, does not appear to support the anecdotal evidence I have heard. Children with Down syndrome specifically have statistically significant deficits in emotion recognition by the time of comparable mental age, a extremely important part of normal social interaction--if you cannot recognize sadness, fear, or happiness when you see it, it is difficult to gauge the tone of a conversation. Further, in collaborative tasks, DS children exhibit more "parallel work" rather than "collaborative work" with other children with intellectual disabilities, implying that their impetus to be social is not as high as might be assumed by cultural understanding of Down syndrome. This is also in line with my limited experience of adults with non-specific intellectual disabiliy (NSID), though none with Down syndrome. The adults I worked with ran the gamut of normal human personality--some very sweet, kind, and social, some very much not, and most somewhere in between.
However, this highlights the importance of behavioral and social skills training in children with intellectual disability, because if such people are to interact in typically developing society, it would be helpful to fulfil the assumption that others have of them--at least until such assumption is rectified. However, since other studies in this thread seem to imply that their is limited difference in social interaction, I am also curious about the role of parents and parental monitoring in the social interaction of children with DS, especially with TD children.
Wishart, J. G. (2007). Socio-cognitive understanding: A strength or weakness in Down's syndrome?. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research, 51(12), 996-1005. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2007.01007.x
Elyssa,
DeleteI really enjoyed reading your post! I have actually heard the same comments, so it was nice to learn about some of the research behind it. I like how this study emphasizes the uniqueness of DS children and their personalities. It seems that people can unconsciously group these children into a category, labeling them all one way, which makes me wonder if there are any effective communal education programs on DS currently in place. Overall, this was a great post!
Erin Cameron
Elyssa,
DeleteYour post was very interesting. There are definitely a mix of emotions across the people I have encountered with IDD and DS. I find most of them to be very pleasant and uplifting because they have a different take on the world than we do. I think as society it is easier for us to look at the positive outcomes for those with DS and other IDD diagnosis even though there are some children and adults who aren't as sweet, kind, and social. I think it is important for ourselves as a society to recognize all of it that way when we meet those who are not as social and easy to get along with, we are able to understand them and where they are coming from a bit more!
Megan
Elyssa,
DeleteI never thought of this! It is very interesting how they are unable to gauge a social situation and know what emotions are being expressed by other people. Social and behavioral skills should be taught to all children, and especially in those with an intellectual disability. These are important skills to learn so they know what is acceptable in social settings while also helping them recognize different emotions and how they are expressed. It is also of high importance for other without intellectual disability to be able to understand, communicate, and recognize what those with disabilities need.
While reading about children with intellectual disabilities, it reminded me of my time volunteering at an equine therapy facility. Even though I do not have an intellectual disability my time in childhood spent raising horses taught me: balance, muscle strength, responsibility, and created an emotional bond with an animal. As soon as I started college, I wanted to find a way to help those who struggle with an intellectual disability attain those beneficial aspects of being around horses.
ReplyDeleteI found an article that discusses the muscle deficiencies and slow response time in children with intellectual disabilities. The experimental group did hippo therapy twice a week for 14 weeks. The control group did not attend hippo therapy. After the 14 weeks were up, the researchers found that there was a significant improvement in muscle strength and response time in children who attended hippo therapy in comparison to those children who did not.
One thing that I believe this study could expand on is the emotional wellbeing that can also be improved using hippo therapy. In my own experience as an instructor, the children attain a trusting bond with the horse, but also learn and develop a social relationship with other students in their class. The students learn not only to trust the horse, but it also gives them a physical outlet for affection.
Giagozoglu, P. (2013, September). Muscle reaction function of individuals with intellectual disabilities may be improved through therapeutic use of a horse. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 34(9), 2442-2448. http://dx.doi.org.lib-e2.lib.ttu.edu/10.1016/j.ridd.2013.04.015
Lauren,
DeleteI wonder is the muscle deficiencies associated with IDD could be in correlation with playtime interaction. While most children play with others, maintaining a healthy amount of physical activity, children with IDD might not have as many opportunities to have similar playtime interactions.
This chapter is over intellectual disability and while reading this chapter it got me thinking about children who are in a mainstream school with an intellectual disability. At the school I work at, we have a few children across all of the age groups that have intellectual disabilities. Last week one of the other children asked me about why that kid, as he put it, was bigger than him and couldn’t talk. This got me thinking, what are the affects of having positive social relationships in school for kids on kids with intellectual disabilities?
ReplyDeleteThe study I found was on children who were considered in normal functioning range but who were still considered intellectually disabled. These children were put in social skills groups to help improve their functioning in school and to encourage them to think. The results of this study showed that with the extra interaction, they were more engaged and made advancements in regards to completing tasks and improved gross and fine motor skills. They also were given social positive reinforcement when they were correct. This research is important because that means in positive and god environments, children with intellectual disability will be able to become more high functioning. This is not only a benefit for them but also those around them as well. I know the girl in my class gets frustrated with herself because she knows she’s different and the other children know it too. With a program like this, she could gain confidence and ability to be more independent.
Plavnick, J. B., Kaid, T., & Macfarland, M. C. (2015). Effects of a School-Based Social Skills Training Program for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Intellectual Disability. J Autism Dev Disord Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 45(9), 2674-2690. doi:10.1007/s10803-015-2434-5
Leeann,
DeleteI liked this study and outcome you talked about. I have been around kids with intellectual disabilities and worked with them a lot in high school! I always wondered about ways they could work on social relationships and ways they could gain such confidence and be more independent. I actually want to read this article to see more about what was involved in their social skills groups and about the positive reinforcement! Good job!
Leeann,
DeleteI found your post very interesting because I remember back in middle school and high school days, seeing all the kids in the special needs classes and feeling bad because they did not interact with other kids very much. I agree with your post and believe it is very important to have children with IDD interact with others and put them in a positive environment to help them succeed not only in school but also with social situations.
Overall very good post!
Leeann,
DeleteI found your article very interesting! It makes sense that having more interaction allows children to be come better at social skills. Do you know if the study was done at a private school, public school, or at an outside facility? I think all too often children with IDD in public schools are separated from other children, which doesn't allow for social interaction, which may be harming the children with IDD.
Leeann,
DeleteIts great to hear that a program such as the one mentioned in your blog post had shown such positive results. Living with an intellectual disability presents its own challenges in many different aspects of a child's life, social interactions being one of them. If a child with an intellectual disability was given the tools to perform better in social settings, I think it would do wonders for his/her development and self-esteem. Like you mentioned, the girl in your school who has an intellectual disability knows shes different than her peers. Although that was a little saddening to hear, it shows how beneficial programs like the one in the study could be for children just like the girl at your school. Receiving acceptance and maintaining positive relationships with peers would be a very uplifting, and possibly life changing, experience for those intellectually disabled children who interact with other students on a day to day basis.
Leeann,
DeleteIts great to hear that a program such as the one mentioned in your blog post had shown such positive results. Living with an intellectual disability presents its own challenges in many different aspects of a child's life, social interactions being one of them. If a child with an intellectual disability was given the tools to perform better in social settings, I think it would do wonders for his/her development and self-esteem. Like you mentioned, the girl in your school who has an intellectual disability knows shes different than her peers. Although that was a little saddening to hear, it shows how beneficial programs like the one in the study could be for children just like the girl at your school. Receiving acceptance and maintaining positive relationships with peers would be a very uplifting, and possibly life changing, experience for those intellectually disabled children who interact with other students on a day to day basis.
After reading through the textbook chapter about intellectual disability, I was intrigued with the enormous impact an intellectual disability can have on the child, family, and community. Specifically, I noticed that many reported the impact that children with an intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) can have on everyone else, and that those reports were predominantly negative. I noted the same trend while searching through research articles online, most of them reviewing the stress/problems an IDD child can cause on the mother or the parents or the family. It made me wonder: Can IDD children bring specific positive impacts on the people around them? If so, what are those positive effects?
ReplyDeleteAlthough research uncovers a highly negative interaction between IDD children and professionals, some common themes were discovered displaying the positives impacts IDD children can have on their family. In a qualitative study, families (who have an IDD child) reported an increased sense of purpose and priorities, spirituality, and tolerance and understanding. In addition to those impacts, other themes were presented, such as personal growth and strength, source of joy and happiness, expanded social and personal networks and community involvement, source of family unity and closeness, and positive impacts on others community. Overall, this study was fascinating and enjoyable to read. It was beneficial to learn about the variety of impacts of IDD children and the different aspects of intellectual disability.
Stainton, T., & Besser, H. (1998, March). The positive impact of children with an intellectual disability on the family. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 23(1), 57-70. Retrieved October 24, 2016, from PsycINFO.
Erin,
DeleteI found your post interesting because I am constantly around kids and adults with IDD and have been my whole life. My brother and cousin have IDD. My brother is high functioning and on the Autism scale and my cousin is Autistic and has Downs. I, being the sister and cousin, have only found such joy and love because of never having to do the parenting and tough part. I do know it was difficult for both sets of parents because it was an unfamiliar world to them at first. Some parents are very scared and don't know what to do and others dive in with love and joy for their child. It was definitely hard being younger than my brother but getting things first, such as a car and drivers license. My parents had to find a balance of letting go and guidance that was different for myself and other brother. I met so many people and have gotten into many more things because of having family members with IDD. I personally think my cousin and brother have the best outlooks on life with such love and joy but know that it is harder for others. It is important to find support and community involvement for families and individuals with IDD because it can make all the difference.
Megan
Erin,
DeleteI found your post interesting because I am constantly around kids and adults with IDD and have been my whole life. My brother and cousin have IDD. My brother is high functioning and on the Autism scale and my cousin is Autistic and has Downs. I, being the sister and cousin, have only found such joy and love because of never having to do the parenting and tough part. I do know it was difficult for both sets of parents because it was an unfamiliar world to them at first. Some parents are very scared and don't know what to do and others dive in with love and joy for their child. It was definitely hard being younger than my brother but getting things first, such as a car and drivers license. My parents had to find a balance of letting go and guidance that was different for myself and other brother. I met so many people and have gotten into many more things because of having family members with IDD. I personally think my cousin and brother have the best outlooks on life with such love and joy but know that it is harder for others. It is important to find support and community involvement for families and individuals with IDD because it can make all the difference.
Megan
Hello Erin,
DeleteI really enjoyed your response since it's something that I didn't really think about. I think that you're right in the sense that a child with IDD can bring so many positive things to a family since they have to be strong so that way their child can receive the best care possible. I think that families with children who are diagnosed with IDD are definitely more emotionally connected to one another because they all share the responsibility of taking care of this child. I think that research has been done, but I'm sure that siblings of a child with IDD see how their parents are so supportive of the child with IDD and see how important helping each other is. Overall, I do think that it definitely brings a family together.
Erin,
DeleteI found your post interesting because I also thought about how kids with IDD affected their family members and people around them. I researched how kids with Down Syndrome affected their siblings and found that there were mostly positive effects. Usually the siblings were more kind and more responsible because they are usually having to help take care of their sibling with Down Syndrome. I thought it was a positive effect because compared to other kids who did not have a sibling with Down Syndrome, they were more nurturing. I do think there can be some negative effects on the family but I believe it can really bring a family together.
Overall very good post!
I currently work in a lab that studies working memory and I have also just covered working memory in my cognition class. While I was reading this chapter, I was curious to see if children with intellectual development disorder (IDD) have a lower working memory than children who have specific learning disorder (SLD).
ReplyDeleteThe article I found had children with IDD and SLD and they were comparing intelligence with different tests. The participants were 267 children between the ages of 6-16. Children were places in either in SLD-typical, SLD-borderline, which meant that other diagnoses may be the focus of clinical attention, and IDD. The children were given tests that cover verbal comprehension, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and processing speed. I found it interesting that although children with IDD scored lower than SLD-typical and SLD-borderline, that they remained consistent throughout the four categories. IDD working memory was even slightly better than the other three categories, which was what I was mostly curious about. It found that for children with IDD using the Full Scale IQ test to measure intellect since it surveys the four categories and children with IDD tended to score around the same level. To answer my original question, the study found that children with SLD had a higher working memory than children with IDD. I was not surprised because I think most children with IDD are at a lower functioning level than children with any learning disorders.
Cornoldi, C., Giofrè, D., Orsini, A., & Pezzuti, L. (2014). Differences in the intellectual profile of children with intellectual vs. Learning disability. Research In Developmental Disabilities, 35(9), 2224-2230. doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2014.05.013
Hello Toria,
DeleteI found it interesting that in the study conducted, it was found that the children with IDD were consistent in the 4 categories. This is especially interesting due to the fact that they were scoring higher in the working memory section. This made me think about how important memory for these children is and even though in some cases, they can't communicate very well, their memory can tell a lot about them. This makes me think about the way that they grow to see how the people that take care of them are seen so fondly by these children with IDD and how they don't like being separated from the people who take care of them. Maybe due to the fact that they see them so much, it is engraved in their memory that they will take care of them which is why I think that it's a healthier environment for children with IDD to be with their family instead of a health institution.
After reading the section on intellectual disability, I was really interested in how it not only affected the child with the disability but also how it affected the family members. I found many articles about how a child with an intellectual disability affects the mother but that was about it. I thought about how close I am with my siblings and I wanted to know how siblings reacted to a child with an intellectual disability.
ReplyDeleteI researched and happened to find a study done by Monica Cuskelly and Pat Gunn in 2003. They researched sibling relationships with of children with Down Syndrome and took the perspectives of the mother, fathers and the siblings themselves. This study used 54 families with and without a child with Down Syndrome. In parental reports there were no big differences but children with a sibling who had Down Syndrome were reported to have less acts of unkindness and "if in same sex dyad, more empathy than did comparison children". This study also found that children who had a sibling with Down Syndrome tended to do more caregiving activities which the researchers paired with having more empathy. Overall, siblings of children with Down Syndrome seemed to be more empathetic, nurturing, and overall a little more kind than those children without a sibling with Down Syndrome.
Monica Cuskelly and Pat Gunn (2003) Sibling Relationships of Children With Down Syndrome: Perspectives of Mothers, Fathers, and Siblings. American Journal on Mental Retardation: July 2003, Vol. 108, No. 4, pp. 234-244.
Desiree,
DeleteI like the point you make! We learn a lot about the impact and affects on parents, but usually not much on siblings. Seeing the results of this study makes a lot of sense. My mom teaches intellectual disabled children, so I have been around them a lot or met the families. Just by observing and knowing families like this, I see how these siblings are more empathetic, nurturing, and kinder! Good job and perspective!
I don't know why I never wondered how it would affect the siblings. I was always more concerned with how it affected the parents more. Since I have a second cousin who has ID I have always just heard how it is affecting her parents and I never heard about how her brother deals with it. Every time I do see them together though he is extremely nice and helpful towards her and understanding. Also from watching videos of siblings with their ID siblings you can see how much they care for each other and how much more kind and nurturing they can be compared to those who don't have a sibling with ID.
DeleteDesiree,
DeleteWhat an awesome question! I would have never thought of that. I have a cousin with down syndrome and can attest to the study you found. My cousins treat their sister no different they any of their other siblings. My cousin's oldest sister Megan is the sweetest person you could ever meet and because of her sister wants to work with children who have disabilities! Its such an amazing thing to see how awesome these kids turn out, because they want their own sibling to be treated like everyone else!
After reading this chapter I found it very interesting that children with IDD suffer from trouble regulating emotions and behaviors. I have a 10 year old cousin with down syndrome and it took her 5 years to be able to talk. So up until then, everything was an ordeal with her. This made me wonder if it was common for children who have IDD to have developmental delays.
ReplyDeleteIn looking for an answer to my question I found a very interesting case study. It was about a 7 year old boy with developmental delays and learning problems. The mother had a normal pregnancy, and even had a normal birth. When the child was born he had to stay in the NICU because he was jaundice, but other than that no issues. He wouldn't latch onto the mother's nipple so, he had to be formula fed. He didn't sleep through the night until age 2, and was later diagnosed with asthma. Parents used stimulant medication and reported that the child became "zombie like". After this they stopped stimulant medication. Studies were done and it was later found that the boy had both ADHD and IDD.
This to me was a very shocking study. This boy was healthy and what seemed relatively normal!
Armstrong, K. H. (2013). A case study: Intellectual and developmental disabilities. In A. S. Davis, A. S. Davis (Eds.) , Psychopathology of childhood and adolescence: A neuropsychological approach (pp. 45-49). New York, NY, US: Springer Publishing Co.
While reading, I became interested in the association of depression in intellectual disabilities. What is this association, if any? Does self-report play a role? Also, what is the prevalence of depression in intellectual disability individuals?
ReplyDeleteI actually found an article that answered majority of my questions. There had actually been no previous studies done on this association. They had 229 participants that had intellectual disability and NO mental illness. In their study with self-reports, they found that self-report was positively associated with such psychological distress and negative association with quality of life. Also noted is that depression in intellectual disabilities falls between 3% and 6%.The studied concluded that such poor self-stigma can result in poorer psychological health.
My only concern after reading this study is the role of IQ and how this effects self-stigma and their self-report. Even the study mentioned it was not formally assessed and should be in future experiments. Hopefully a study incorporating this can come up with evidence-based treatments to reduce such poor stigmas and help their psychological health.
Ali, A., King, M., Strydom, A., & Hassiotis, A. (2015). Self-reported stigma and symptoms of anxiety and depression in people with intellectual disabilities: Findings from a cross sectional study in England. Journal Of Affective Disorders, 187224-231. doi:10.1016/j.jad.2015.07.046
Morgan,
DeleteI really liked your question because it was something that I wondered too. I thought it was interesting that the association fell between 3-6%. I would think that the association between the two would be more significant but your article you found proves otherwise. Good post!
My dad has a cousin whose daughter (my second cousin) has an intellectual disability (I don't know them that well so I'm not sure exactly how she is), but both of her parents are extremely adventurous and athletic and enjoy the outdoors. They love taking their kids on hikes and they try to get their daughter out every time they go. She does not like going with them because she has a harder time keeping up with them, and she gets embarrassed every time they have to stop and wait for her or stop so she can catch her breath. I honestly have no experience with people who have any disabilities, besides the couple of times I have talked to her, so I was curious if people with intellectual disabilities also have a harder time developing physical endurance/fitness?
ReplyDeleteI found a research paper where they did an experiment between children with ID and typically developing children. The study showed that the children with ID showed lower aerobic and muscular fitness compared to the child that developed normally. Just like my second cousin did not have motivation to join her family, the study shows that individuals with ID experience barriers with physical activities where they don't want to participate. It also says that there was ,however, improvement in their physical ability as their age increased. Overall, it says that children with ID can maintain and/or improve their fitness, but "stimulating physical fitness should start already in young children(>8)" and more attention should be spent on children with a more "severe cognitive impairment."
After reading the article it made sense as to why she never really wanted to join her family on their hikes or physical activities. Her parents are always very positive towards her and when they talk about it they seem to think it works a little bit to get her more motivated. So I wonder if children with ID get encouraged more to do more physical activities if they would be more willing to become more active, instead of them feeling ashamed of not being able to keep up with everyone.
Hartman, E., Smith, J., Westendorp, M., & Visscher, C. (2015). Development of physical fitness in children with intellectual disabilities. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research, 59(5), 439-449. doi:10.1111/jir.12142
Heather,
DeleteIt is interesting that you ask that question at the end of your post: "if children with ID get encouraged more to do more physical activities if they would be more willing to become more active instead of feeling ashamed..." In my post, I looked at a study whose primary focus was to figure out what different factors encouraged/discouraged children with Down syndrome to exercise or be physically active. The study found that the parents have a huge influence on how comfortable the children feel about physical activity, so it is great that your second cousin and their spouse are so encouraging to their daughter. Granted, this study focused on children with Down syndrome in particular, but if I were to guess I'd have to say that the results would be comparable to other intellectual disabilities. If you'd like, you could read my post to see what other things the study found (my post is the last one at the bottom). Thank you for your post! I found it super interesting!!
While reading this chapter, I started to think about how intellectual disabilities in children effect their direct caregivers.
ReplyDeleteI found an article that answered my question. There was a study that was conducted that looked at a sample of 216 families with children who had IDD and/ or autism. Depression was assessed using the Beck Depression Inventory. The results were that mothers who had children with autism (mean: 11.8) had higher depression scores than mothers who had children with IDD without autism (mean 9.2). In contrast, fathers overall had less depression than mothers. Mothers who were single-parents were at most risk for severe depression than those who live with a partner.
This study in general did not shock me very much. Typically the mothers are most affected by their children having a disability because they have a greater attachment. I also could see how mothers who did not have a partner to help would be at a great risk for severe depression because no one is there to help in such a difficult time.
Olsson, M. B., & Hwang, C. P. (2001). Depression in mothers and fathers of children with intellectual disability. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 45(6), 535–543. doi:10.1046/j.1365-2788.2001.00372.x
Christina,
DeleteI agree with you in that I'm not surprised about the results for mothers to have depression and even more severe depression if they are single. I am, however, now more interested in what effects if any occur for the fathers. I wonder if there are any studies on if they change at all with raising children with ID. I would assume that fathers are more frustrated and may have aggressive outbursts because they tend to be less patient.
Christina,
DeleteI found your article to be very intriguing. I'm not shocked that mothers show signs of depression, but to me its shocking that fathers wouldn't have the same levels of depression. I can also understand why a single mother would be more depressed, considering taking care of a healthy child is trying on its own. It would be interesting to do another study to see how fathers compared to mothers show depressive symptoms when having a child with IDD or autism.
Christina,
DeleteI think this topic is interesting. I know a family with a child with ID, and I've always wondered how it could affect the parents. They would never say anything negative, but I always thought it had to impact them in some way.
Also, as for the mothers having a higher rate of depression in the study you found, I wonder if that could be due to the fact that women are more likely to become depressed in general. That could be a contributing factor as to why depression is more prevalent in mothers of children with ID as opposed to their fathers. Great post!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteWhen reading about intellectual disabilities in Chapter five of our textbook, this one picture of a young boy with Down syndrome throwing a football caught my eye. The caption explained that sport events are a great way to promote independence, social competence, and self-esteem in children with IDs. Since I am a Kinesiology major, this sparked my interest in how physically active children with Down syndrome are compared to children without Down syndrome. I found that children diagnosed with Down syndrome are significantly less active than other children. I then wondered, what factors could encourage or discourage children with Down syndrome from participating in physical activity?
ReplyDeleteTo my surprise, I found an article that studied exactly what I was looking for! This study took a sample of families with children with Down syndrome, and asked them questions regarding their child and what facilitates or becomes a barrier to them participating in physical activity. The researchers found that there were 4 common facilitators and 4 common barriers to physical activity in the children with Down syndrome in the study. The facilitators were if the family created a positive association with exercise for the child, the opportunity for positive social interaction with peers, if there were specific programs to provide adaptations for their disability, and if the children were physically skilled or determined to succeed. The barriers to physical activity included those characteristics commonly associated with Down syndrome (e.g. obesity, heart defects, etc), reduced physical or behavior skills, and if there is a lack of adaptive programs available. Another barrier to physical activity for the children was the family itself. If the child required full supervision when engaging in physical activity, sometimes the parents would become the barrier because they were unable to provide supervision and therefore the child was not allowed to partake in the activity. It seems that some of the barriers could be overcome by the family and the child, but I could see how a child could be less active if they have all of these barriers to exercise that most other children don’t have to deal with.
Barr, M., & Shields, N. (2011). Identifying the barriers and facilitators to participation in physical activity for children with Down syndrome. Journal Of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(11), 1020-1033. doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2011.01425.x
Rachel,
Deletethis was a perspective I did not consider! It is understandable how children with intellectual disabilities and their exercise habits are affected by different aspects of their environment. Parents don't always have time on top of work and helping their children with the necessities to incorporate time for sports and exercise. In order to help those with intellectual disabilities and/or Down Syndrome become more active communities should become more involved to provide low cost programs that are adapted to those disabilities. Also, more exercise programs should be encouraged by friends and family to improve their perspective and expectancy of life.
Rachel,
DeleteI think your study findings are quite intriguing, I believe the last barrier to engaging in activity and how the families may have other obligations and cannot provide supervisions can be helped if new organizations were created. By this I mean, what if Middle Schools and High Schools tried implanting programs for ID or Down Syndrome kids specifically to be able to participate with the supervision of older and trained students? I think something of that nature would allow them to be physically active while engaging socially with new people. I know a lot of schools have friends helping friends programs, so something like that but more geared toward physical activity/sports might be a cool idea.
I am also a Kinesiology major so I think it is interesting the effects that exercise has on children with different disabilities. I thought it was interesting how it was a positive association. It got me thinking if there are special programs for kids in the area that have down syndrome or other disorders to get them active so it's not as hard on the parents. Great post!
Delete