Doing nothing: adults with disabilities with no daily activities and their siblings.

Taylor et al. (2012) mailed surveys to 173 adults with intellectual or developmental disabilities and to their adult brothers or sisters. They asked how the person with IDD spends weekdays and how the sibling feels about life. They also pulled service records to see who gets what help.

The team then compared three groups: adults who had no daytime activities, adults who had some activities, and the siblings of each group.

One in eight adults with IDD spent the day doing nothing—no work, no day program, no classes, no regular volunteer spot. These inactive adults had more behavior problems and worse health. Their brothers and sisters also reported lower well-being.

When the researchers added up other risk factors, the sibling distress link shrank. The real driver was not just boredom—it was missing services.

Van Naarden Braun et al. (2009) saw the same pattern three years earlier: severe ID and multiple impairments predict adult activity limits. Lounds shows the family fallout—siblings feel the gap.

Capio et al. (2013) surveyed Spanish adults with DD and found most leisure is passive and home-based, even though people want social or physical fun. The two studies line up: inactivity is common on both sides of the Atlantic.

Laxton et al. (2026) used wearable trackers and clocked adults with ID sitting almost eight hours a day. That objective number backs Lounds’ survey finding that many folks simply have nothing to do.

Syriopoulou-Delli et al. (2012), also in 2012, asked 139 siblings what help they need. They wanted disability facts, caregiving backup, and better services. Lounds supplies the reason: when services vanish, sibling stress rises.

If your client with IDD has blank calendar space, treat that as a red flag. Empty days link to behavior issues and drag down the whole family. Start an intake question: “What does the person do between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.?” If the answer is “nothing,” prioritize a day program, volunteer job, or structured leisure. Your referral can lift both client and sibling well-being in one move.