Structural and functional characteristics of the social networks of people with mild intellectual disabilities.
Adults with mild ID already know lots of people; train them to use neighbors and staff for daily support so paid help can fade.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Robertson et al. (2013) drew a map of each adult's social world. They asked adults with mild intellectual disability who they knew and how often they saw them.
The team wrote down the size of every network, who filled each role, and how much help each person gave.
What they found
Networks were tight and busy. People saw many of their contacts every week.
Professionals and neighbors were the go-to helpers. Family gave love, but non-family gave rides, advice, and daily support.
How this fits with other research
Matson et al. (2009) looked at 23 earlier studies and saw tiny, three-person networks. E et al. show bigger, denser maps. The gap is method: L et al. counted only close ties; E et al. counted everyone the person named.
Giesbers et al. (2020) asked the same adults about family give-and-take. Only one in three family ties was two-way. E et al. set the stage; H et al. zoomed in and found the flow is mostly one direction.
Jones et al. (2010) added sibling detail. Brothers and sisters were in the network but gave little day-to-day help, matching E et al.'s view that neighbors and staff do the heavy lifting.
Why it matters
When you write a social-skills goal, look past family. Neighbors, bus drivers, and club leaders are already in the natural circle. Teach your client how to greet them, ask for help, and offer small favors. These low-cost ties can replace paid staff over time.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
In the research on people with intellectual disabilities and their social networks, the functional characteristics of their networks have been examined less often than the structural characteristics. Research on the structural characteristics of their networks is also usually restricted to the size and composition of the networks, moreover, with little attention to such characteristics as the variety, accessibility, length and origin of the relationships or the frequency and initiation of the contacts. A comprehensive examination of both the structural and functional characteristics of the social networks of 33 people with intellectual disabilities was therefore undertaken. The social networks of the individuals who all lived in the community varied from 4 to 28 members (mean 14.21); 42.65% of the network members were family members, 32.84% acquaintances and 24.51% professionals. Remarkable is the high frequency of contact with network members; the finding that the participants considered themselves to be the main initiator of contact more often than the other members of their networks as the main initiators; the high scores assigned to neighbours and professionals for functional characteristics; and the relatively low scores assigned to network members for the connection characteristic of the social networks. The important role of professionals in the social networks of people with mild intellectual disabilities and practical implications to facilitate their social inclusion are discussed.
Research in developmental disabilities, 2013 · doi:10.1016/j.ridd.2013.01.012