A survey study of the attitudes and experiences of adults with intellectual disability regarding participation in research.
N E Conroy, K E McDonald, R S Olick
PMID 34369629WHAT IT FOUND
Adults with intellectual disability reported strong interest in research participation, driven by trust in researchers and the belief that such research is important.
Those with prior positive research experiences showed significantly higher trust and willingness to participate again, suggesting that respectful, accessible engagement builds lasting confidence.
Key findings
01Trust in researchers was significantly and positively correlated with having a positive attitude toward research in general and interest in future research participation.
02Participants with prior research experience were significantly more interested in future research participation and expressed greater trust in researchers than those without prior experience.
03The belief that research about adults with intellectual disability is very important made a unique, significant contribution to predicting personal interest in future research participation.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The study used convenience sampling from organizations connected to the population, which may overrepresent individuals with more favorable attitudes toward research. There is a potential for response bias, as some evidence suggests people with intellectual disability may choose positive options on Likert scales, though the authors attempted to mitigate this with accessible materials and rapport-building. The inclusion criteria may have excluded adults with significant support needs, limiting generalizability to the broader population with intellectual disability. The study is cross-sectional, so it cannot confirm that positive attitudes lead to actual future participation, only that they are associated with stated interest.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflicts of interest. The study was supported by the National Institutes of Health (Extramural).
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that all adults with intellectual disability are equally willing or able to participate in research. The sample was recruited through organizations, potentially excluding those with more severe support needs or negative prior experiences, so these findings reflect the views of a specific, connected subgroup rather than the entire population.