What helps to address loneliness for people with intellectual disability?
Summary
Loneliness is a problem for many people. People with intellectual disability have not had very many opportunities to speak about what this is like, or their ideas about how to improve it.
We asked 17 people with intellectual disability to tell us about loneliness and feeling included. They also told us about what helps them to feel better, and any advice they had for helping other people who might feel lonely.
Our co-researcher and advisory group were involved all the way through the study.
Impact
This project was conducted in easy read. It was guided by people with intellectual disability and conducted with people with intellectual disability. The report was developed in easy read, and the results were presented to self-advocates in an accessible presentation.
People with intellectual disability have shared the report with each other. They have requested more copies through the advocacy organisations.
People have said that the report talks about hard things in a way that they can understand. They liked that it does not speak down to them.
An academic publication follows to share the results with other researchers.
Project Details
Funding partner
Flinders University Establishment Grant
Timeframe
2020-2021
Publications
Easy-read:
Journal article:
Robinson, S. & Idle, J. (2022). Loneliness and how to counter it: people with intellectual disability share their experiences and ideas. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 48(1), 58-70. https://doi.org/10.3109/13668250.2022.2112510
Team
DCI researchers
Professor Sally Robinson (lead)
Tim Cahalan
Research partners
Purple Orange
SA Council for Intellectual Disability