Thriving for Adolescents With Intellectual Disability: A Photo-Elicitation Qualitative Study.
Annie S Mills, Teresa Sellitto, Dallas D Sorken and 4 others
PMID 40523642WHAT IT FOUND
Adolescents with intellectual disability defined thriving as five elements: enjoying life, developing, having a positive sense of self, connecting, and mattering.
Parents added a sixth element, a safe and supportive environment. These themes were derived from photo-elicitation interviews.
Key findings
01Five core themes of thriving were identified from both adolescent and parent perspectives: Enjoying Life, Developing, Having a Positive Sense of Self, Connecting, and Mattering.
02A sixth theme, Safe and Supportive Environment, emerged specifically from parent reports and was not a focus for the adolescent participants.
03The study used photo-elicitation with 12 adolescents who could communicate using spoken language, meaning findings do not represent non-verbal adolescents.
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 (12 adolescents) and all participants could communicate using spoken language, excluding non-verbal adolescents. The study was conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have influenced perspectives on thriving and the types of photographs chosen. All parent participants were mothers, and the sample was predominantly White and from Ontario, limiting transferability. Participants were well-connected in their communities and had parents who actively sought supports, which may not reflect the experiences of those with fewer resources.
Declared interests
The authors declare no competing interests. The study received ethics approval from York University. Two adults with intellectual disability assisted with the study design and theme review as research partners.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret these themes as evidence that specific interventions cause thriving. This study describes how participants conceptualise thriving, not the efficacy of any treatment or support model.