Functional activity and communication-social ability of youths with developmental disabilities: a qualitative study.
Theofani Bania, Renate Lyri, Foteini Ntatsiou and 1 others
PMID 36337219WHAT IT FOUND
Parents reported that although most youths walked independently and had high overall function scores, they struggled with specific tasks like using a knife, managing stairs safely, and understanding deeper meanings.
Many needed reminders and supervision to complete self-care activities.
Key findings
01Most participants walked independently but had difficulties with smooth movement, stability, and safe transfers in the bathtub or on stairs.
02Participants expressed a desire for independence in self-care but still required supervision, help, or reminders to complete activities correctly.
03Communication difficulties were primarily related to understanding deeper meanings and verbal expression, while social relationships were generally better with familiar adults than with peers.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The sample was small (n=30) and homogeneous, with 22 participants diagnosed with autism and most having mild to moderate intellectual disabilities, limiting generalizability to other disabilities or severe impairments. Data were collected via telephone without audio recording, relying on the researcher's notes, which may have missed details. Parents were the sole informants, and the study did not include the youths' own perspectives. The families were of a traditional structure with mostly secondary education, which may not reflect diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the high mean WeeFIM score as evidence that these youths are fully independent in all daily activities. The qualitative data show significant needs for supervision, safety aids, and reminders in specific areas like self-care and social interaction.