Improvements in psychological well-being in parents with learning disabilities can be achieved by improvements in social support

Family

Adults with learning disabilities who become parents face a range of challenges in addition to those faced by their non-disabled peers. As adults with disabilities, they are more likely to be socially isolated and at risk of poor psychological well-being and the added pressure of parenthood can magnify these risks. The authors of the current [read the full story…]

Internet based groups for older carers of people with learning disabilities can improve social support

Computer

We recently posted about the views of older people with learning disabilities and the things they wanted in relation to their support. In recent years there have also been a number of projects that have focused on ways to provide support to older carers of people. Those projects have suggested the key mediator role of [read the full story…]

Research collaborations between academics and people with learning disabilities can strengthen the ethical integrity of research

Analysis showed significant lack of robust evidence on impact or cost effectiveness

The involvement of people with learning disabilities in research has been increasing. The authors of this review stress the important benefits of this inclusion. However, the involvement raises a number of ethical questions, as they can be vulnerable in the context of research. This review looked at peer-reviewed literature on ethical practices in research with [read the full story…]

Review fails to find direct link between childhood disability and increased risk for child abuse and neglect

shutterstock_14786077 mother playing with two young children

The authors of this review were interested in empirical evidence for presumptions that children with disabilities are at increased risk for child maltreatment, and that parents with disabilities may be more likely to perpetrate child abuse and neglect. From the findings of the review, the authors conclude that the evidence for any relationship between child [read the full story…]

Adult mediation has pivotal role in promoting engagement through haptic strategies in children with learning disabilities and visual impairment

Grapevine

This review of the literature looked at issues relating to the development of haptic exploratory strategies in children who have visual impairment and learning disabilities. Haptic perception refers to the recognition of objects through touch, involving the perception of patterns such as edges, curves and textures, whereby people can identify three-dimensional objects by moving their [read the full story…]

International review of deinstitutionalisation outcomes shows gains in quality of life but poor responses to health care needs

Choose_Home2

As long ago as 1994 Emerson and Hatton produced a review of UK literature on the outcomes for people with learning disabilities leaving long stay institutions (Emerson E & Hatton C (1994); Moving Out: Relocation from Hospital to Community) which involved 2,350 service users. The findings of this review of international studies nearly twenty years [read the full story…]

Health inequalities in young people with learning disabilities associated with preventable environmental determinants

Young girl and nurse

There has been a developing literature about the health inequalities experienced by people with learning disabilities, leading to a number of policy responses. This literature review focused specifically on inequalities experienced by children and young people up to the age of 18, looking to synthesize evidence on the prevalence and determinants of health conditions and [read the full story…]

Advances in neuroimaging provide insights into anotomical features of the brain in people with autism

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This review of literature published in the last twelve months set out to chart progress made in understanding anatomical and functional features in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The authors searched databases for research findings in the neuroimaging of autism using a variety of Medline search terms They found that techniques such as functional magnetic resonance [read the full story…]

Review provides support for use of psychotherapy with people with learning disabilities but better studies needed

shutterstock_6153463 group therapy circle of empty chairs

The purpose of this brief review was to look at the conclusions of reviews published in the last ten years into the effectiveness of psychotherapy with people with learning disabilities. The authors conclude that from the findings of those reviews, there is evidence that psychotherapy with people with learning disabilities can be moderately effective, in [read the full story…]

Review finds higher rates of trauma in learning disability population but lower rates of access to treatment

shutterstock_6153463 group therapy circle of empty chairs

The authors of this paper set out to look at rates of sexual abuse and interpersonal trauma in people with learning disability. They hoped to explore the relationship between such trauma and psychological distress and to describe a psychotherapeutic intervention for such people. The findings from a review of the literature suggested an inverse relationship [read the full story…]