The Relationship Between Personal Wellbeing, Choice and NDIS Individualised Planning and Support for People With Intellectual Disabilities.
Vivienne Riches, Trevor Parmenter, Gisselle Gallego and 3 others
PMID 40639814WHAT IT FOUND
People with intellectual disability reported high everyday choice but little control over key life decisions like budgeting, staff, or leaving a program.
Wellbeing was linked to health, not to NDIS funding. Group home residents had less choice than those living independently.
Key findings
01Choice was high for everyday matters like phone use and going out, but low for key life decisions such as budgeting, choosing staff, and leaving a day activity.
02Participants living in group homes reported significantly less choice and control than those living independently or in supported independent living.
03Personal wellbeing scores did not change significantly between the two data collection waves a year apart, and were similar to pre-NDIS benchmarks.
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 sample included only people with mild to moderate intellectual disability who could speak, so findings do not apply to those with severe or profound disabilities. The Choice Questionnaire has ambiguous scoring for people living with family, making it hard to compare choice across all living environments. The study is cross-sectional with a small re-interview cohort, so it cannot prove that NDIS funding caused changes in wellbeing or choice. No direct comparison was made with a non-NDIS group, so it is unclear if current wellbeing levels differ from pre-NDIS baselines.
Declared interests
The authors have nothing to report.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that high scores on everyday choices, such as picking a bedtime or using a phone, mean the person has control over their life. The study shows that choice collapses for key decisions like budgeting, staff selection, and leaving services. A client may appear autonomous in daily routines while having almost no influence over the support structure they live in.