The researchers in this descriptive study set out to describe the issues facing a pilot service for adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) set up in the north east of England. They gathered data on the total number of referrals, the source of referrals, sex ratio, follow-up treatments, and co-morbid diagnosis for the period [read the full story…]
Personalisation is a cornerstone of policy for supporting people with learning disabilities. This study set out to look at the nature, purposes and outcomes of personalised residential supports from the perspectives of people with disabilities, family members and service providers, with a view to developing a quality framework for future evaluation. The researchers identified four [read the full story…]
The researchers in this review set out to look at the complexity of the relationship between the genotype (genetic makeup) and phenotype (physical characteristics) and to stress the need for a greater understanding of behavioural phenotypes in genetic syndromes. The specific focus was on the developmental trajectory of behavioural phenotypes as individuals move from childhood [read the full story…]
Maximising choice and control are key elements of policy in relation to supporting people with learning disabilities, but it is recognised that the choice of where to live and with whom is often denied to people, especially with severe or profound learning disabilities. The researchers in this USA study set out to understand the current [read the full story…]
The researchers in this USA study set out to find out about the factors that shape employment-related decisions of people with learning disabilities. Working with a co-researcher with learning disabilities throughout the whole research process, they carried out qualitative interviews with people themselves, their family members and employment-support professionals from four community provider organizations in [read the full story…]
The Adapted Sex Offender treatment Programme (ASOTP) was piloted in a secure learning disability service. This study set out to evaluate its effectiveness and respond to the criticisms and concerns of conventional closed format programmes. The researchers set out to gather the views of a variety of stakeholders (purchasers, clients, clinicians, group facilitators and clients’ [read the full story…]
Parental stress affects the psychological well-being of care givers and has been associated with increased risk of children with disabilities being taken into care. This study set out to characterise those providing care and support to children with learning disabilities when they are about to seek outside support and care. The researchers wanted to understand [read the full story…]
With a between-subjects design and gender as its one independent variable, the researchers in this study used the Novaco Anger Scale and Provocation Inventory to compare the score of 12 females and 23 males within a forensic psychiatric service for patients with learning disabilities. The team found there were significant differences between scores which suggested [read the full story…]
This American study set out to look at the use of physical restraint in services for people with learning disabilities. The researchers looked at data on the incidence and implementation of physical restraint for 448 adults with learning disabilities in community-based day services and shared supported housing. They found that physical restraint was used exclusively [read the full story…]
The authors of this study set out to evaluate behavioural and medication-based interventions in the treatment of challenging behaviour in people learning disabilities, both separately and in combination. They suggest that researchers might need to adapt the methods they have traditionally used to evaluate drug interventions for individuals without disabilities when working with people with [read the full story…]
