People with intellectual disabilities living in care facilities engaging in virtual social contact: A systematic review of the feasibility and effects on well-being.
Lianne Bakkum, Carlo Schuengel, Paula S Sterkenburg and 5 others
PMID 34245077WHAT IT FOUND
Virtual social contact is feasible for people with intellectual disabilities, including those with severe needs using adapted devices.
Effects on well-being are mixed, with some users reporting happiness and others frustration or exclusion. Support from staff and family is often lacking.
Key findings
01People with severe multiple disabilities can use telephone and video contact if provided with adapted microswitch technology and intensive training.
02Effects on well-being are mixed, with some users reporting positive mood and others reporting stress, frustration, or feeling excluded.
03Support from staff and family is a key precondition for use but was often lacking, leaving users without help when technical or conceptual difficulties arose.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The review included only nine studies, mostly qualitative or descriptive, with considerable risk of bias. None of the included studies were conducted during the pandemic or under restricted visiting policies, so findings may not apply to those situations. The studies focused on visual and auditory communication, so results do not apply to people with deafblindness. Support staff and family members were not consistently included as informants, so their perspective on supporting ICT use is underrepresented.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume virtual social contact improves well-being for all clients. The evidence is mixed, with some clients reporting increased stress and feelings of exclusion, and no studies in this review tested virtual contact specifically as a substitute for restricted in-person visiting.