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Background: Children with a developmental disability (DD) are more likely to develop behavioral problems. The Stepping Stones Triple P Positive Parenting Program (SSTP) for parents of children with a DD has demonstrated effectiveness for improving parenting practices and reducing child behavior problems. However, there is scant research in Asian countries and with less intensive SSTP interventions. Aim: This study examined the effectiveness of the SSTP seminars for Korean parents of a child with a DD. Methods: Parents were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 21) or a delayed intervention group (n = 17). Data was collected on child adjustment problems, parenting practices, parental adjustment, and family relationships from both groups at pre- and post-intervention, and from the intervention group at 4-month follow-up. Twelve parents provided post-intervention interview data. Results: A series of one-way Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) were used to examine differences between the intervention and delayed intervention groups at post-intervention. Significant short-term intervention effects were found for reductions in child behavior and emotional difficulties, and dysfunctional parenting practices. These improvements were maintained 4-months later by the intervention group. At post-intervention, inter-parental child-rearing conflict was reduced as a trend, with a moderate effect size. Interviews provided additional insights into the benefits gained from program participation. Conclusions: Findings, for parents within this study, contribute to the evidence base for the effectiveness of the SSTP seminars.

Students with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) require intensive supports, including those that target behavior, to make progress on literacy goals. In this study, we investigated whether computer-assisted instruction (CAI) may be one effective method to decrease challenging behavior and increase academic engagement. Participants were three students with IDD (7 to 9 years old) who engaged in challenging behaviors during instruction. We used a single-case alternating treatments design to compare levels of challenging behavior and academic engagement during paper-based and CAI (i.e., tablet computer-based) literacy instruction. Results indicated that CAI was associated with decreased challenging behavior and increased academic engagement for two of three participants. In addition, the CAI condition corresponded with higher scores on academic performance assessments for one participant. Although teacher and student measures of social validity were positive, there was limited evidence that results maintained. These findings are described in relation to their limitations, future directions for research, and impact on practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there are no brief, freely-available, informant-report measures that evaluate key challenging behaviors relevant to youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) or other developmental disabilities (DD). This paper describes the development, refinement, and initial psychometric evaluation of a new 18-item measure, the Open-Source Challenging Behavior Scale (OS-CBS). In a large sample (n = 2004, 169 with ASD, ages 2–17), results of psychometric analyses indicated a clear factor structure (property destruction, aggression, elopement, conduct problems, and self-injury and a general factor with high loadings from all items) based on exploratory structural equation modeling, good scale reliability (α =.66–.83 for subscales, α =.91 total scale), measurement invariance across demographics, and good construct validity. The OS-CBS is a psychometrically-sound instrument for screening and monitoring intervention progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The COVID‐19 pandemic has brought about disruptions in healthcare for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities. There is a need to explore ways to promote proactive healthcare and better prepare individuals for healthcare encounters. Methods: A co‐designed tool, the COVID Check‐in Tool, was introduced as part of a virtual health education programme to encourage proactive healthcare. Implementation of this Health Check‐in was evaluated with 36 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and 96 family caregivers who completed the programme using surveys, structured interviews and focus groups. Findings: Forty‐four percent of participants engaged in the Health Check‐in process, resulting in many reported benefits for those who participated. However, there were also barriers to initiating the Check‐in, along with challenges using the COVID Check‐in Tool, according to both the adults with disabilities who were interviewed and the family caregivers. Conclusions: The study underscores the importance of considering ways to integrate tools into routine healthcare practices, to facilitate improved healthcare delivery for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities during pandemic recovery efforts. As well, involving people with lived experience in the development and implementation of healthcare resources is critical. Accessible Summary: Our team worked together to make a tool that would help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities talk to their doctor about health problems after not seeing them a lot because of the pandemic. We called this tool the 'COVID Check‐in'.Then people from our team taught online health courses about how to use the COVID Check‐in Tool and other health topics.After the courses were over, we asked 36 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities and 96 family caregivers if they had a Health Check‐in with their doctor and how it went, or what problems they had with it.Almost half of the people who took the courses had a Health Check‐in and most of the people thought it was helpful. Some people did not do it or did it but had problems with it.We end the paper with some ideas of how to make it easier to check in with the doctor and why it is important to include people with disabilities and family caregivers when making healthcare tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Doing research can help people to learn about a lot of different topics. For example, researchers can learn how to work in a group, collect and analyze data, how to make accessible materials, and get to know their own strengths. In this paper, a researcher shares what she learned while working on two research projects about young adults with intellectual/developmental disabilities and co-occurring mental health conditions. The first project was peer mentoring. In this project, we focused on individual needs for someone who may be struggling with mental health. The second project was about workplace disclosure. In this project, we tried to find out if young adults disclose their mental health conditions at work and in job interviews. We explain how we did the projects, how the researcher learned to do research, and what made it easy to learn. We also share about the impact of doing research on the researcher's personal life. Finally, we share why doing inclusive research is important and how to help researchers with disabilities feel like they are valued members of the research team. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) have unique and complex health care needs that require health care access. Barriers, such as decreased health literacy and a lack of experienced physicians working with this population, make access to inclusive health care increasingly difficult. Therefore, it is important for occupational therapists to intentionally create opportunities to improve healthcare access and utilization for this population. This paper describes the collaborative health narrative development process as well as the inclusion of three examples created by co-authors with intellectual or developmental disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: This paper is about how parents adjust to parenting their child who has a developmental disability.We spoke to parents about their experiences and developed a theory to help explain how parents adjust when their child has a developmental challenge.As well as describing the stress, that parents experience, this theory also captures the fulfilment and sense of purpose that parents experience as they parent their child.This research is important because it helps explain what happens for parents after their child's diagnosis and provides suggestions on how services can improve to help families. This paper describes a study exploring the parental response to the diagnosis of their child's developmental disability. A classic grounded theory methodology was used to analyse data comprising 19 interviews and 11 memoirs written by parents. The theory explains how parents adjust to champion their child, who has been identified as having a developmental challenge. At the heart of becoming a champion is a psychological process in which parents refine their perspectives on disability awareness, their aspirations and parenting capacity as they develop their championing skills. Refining perspectives and championing are influenced by two factors: the nature of the child's challenges and service factors. The theory of Confident Championing offers a multivariant model that explains the dynamic nature of the adjustment process, capturing both the stress and the fulfilment and sense of purpose that parents experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: International studies show that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are disproportionately represented in the criminal justice and forensic mental health systems; however, it is difficult to capture their involvement across systems in any one jurisdiction. Aims: The current study aimed to estimate the prevalence of IDD across different parts of the criminal justice and forensic mental health systems in Ontario and to describe the demographic and clinical profiles of these individuals relative to their counterparts without IDD. Methods: This project utilised administrative data to identify and describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of adults with IDD and criminal justice or forensic involvement across four sectors: federal correctional facilities, provincial correctional facilities, forensic inpatient mental health care and community mental health programmes. Questions were driven by and results were contextualised by a project advisory group and people with lived experience from the different sectors studied, resulting in a series of recommendations. Results: Adults with IDD were over‐represented in each of the four settings, ranging from 2.1% in federal corrections to 16.7% in forensic inpatient care. Between 20% (forensic inpatient) and 38.4% (provincial corrections) were under the age of 25 and between 34.5% (forensic inpatient) and 41.8% (provincial corrections) resided in the lowest income neighbourhoods. Medical complexity and rates of co‐occurring mental health conditions were higher for people with IDD than those without IDD in federal and provincial corrections. Conclusions: Establishing a population‐based understanding of people with IDD within these sectors is an essential first step towards understanding and addressing service and care needs. Building on the perspectives of people who work in and use these systems, this paper concludes with intervention recommendations before, during and after justice involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Irish health and social care policy has undergone a significant evolution in recent years to address inequalities, improve standards and update models of care to incorporate a rights‐based approach. The following account describes the Irish health and social care system, as delivered in the Republic of Ireland, and details how it operates for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The paper is informed by government policy, legislation, reviews, national plans, parliamentary reports, and population data. Clear progress has been made in shifting from a service‐led to a rights‐based, service‐user led model of care; however, resourcing this fundamental transition in approach to service provision poses challenges for the Irish State. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to the launch of the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, childhood disability was rarely considered an important subject in global health. The SDGs till 2030 now require that children under 5 years who are at risk of not benefitting from inclusive quality education are identified, monitored, and promptly supported. A new tool for identifying children who are not developmentally on track has been developed by UNICEF but has limited sensitivity for detecting children with disabilities due to reliance on parental assessment of child behavior in certain everyday situations. In this paper, we identified conditions that are commonly associated with developmental disabilities based on the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes and clarified the concept of "developmentally on track" as it relates to children with developmental disabilities and developmental delays. We summarized the latest evidence on the global burden of developmental disabilities in children under 5 years based on the diagnostic and functional approaches for measuring disabilities at the population level. We highlighted the global health context for addressing the needs of children with developmental disabilities and provided an overview of the opportunities and the role of pediatric caregivers in supporting children with developmental disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with autism spectrum disorder and developmental disabilities (ASD/DD) often experience severe co-occurring psychological and behavioral challenges, which can warrant inpatient psychiatric care. However, very little is known about the characteristics and clinical care of children with ASD/DD within the context of inpatient psychiatric settings. In this paper, we describe factors unique to inpatients with ASD or DD, by drawing on electronic health records from over 2300 children and adolescents ages 4–17 years admitted to a pediatric psychiatric inpatient unit over a 3-year period. Patients with ASD/DD accounted for approximately 16% of inpatients and 21% of admissions, were younger, more likely to be readmitted, more likely to be male, and more likely to have Medicaid insurance, as compared to patients without ASD/DD. Clinically, those with ASD/DD more frequently had externalizing concerns documented in their records, in contrast to more frequent internalizing concerns among other patients. Within the ASD/DD group, we identified effects of patient age, sex, and race/ethnicity on multiple dimensions of clinical care, including length of stay, use of physical restraint, and patterns of medication use. Results suggest the need for psychiatric screening tools that are appropriate for ASD/DD populations, and intentional integration of anti-racist practices into inpatient care, particularly with regard to use of physical restraint among youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundIn this paper we present a systematic review of the evidence on the use of social media by people with intellectual disability. MethodTen primary studies published in the English language between January 2000 and June 2014 were identified from electronic database searches (CINAHL, PsychInfo, PubMed, Web of Knowledge, and Scopus), correspondence with experts, and citation tracking. ResultsNine themes were identified through thematic analysis of the texts: “safety and safeguarding,” “social identity,” “level of usage,” “support,” “relationships,” “happiness and enjoyment,” “communication and literacy skills,” “cyber-language and cyber-etiquette,” and “accessibility/design”. ConclusionExamination of these themes revealed that some people with intellectual disability are having positive experiences using social media in terms of friendships, development of social identity and self-esteem, and enjoyment. However, barriers that stop people with intellectual disability from successfully accessing social media were identified as being safeguarding concerns, difficulties caused by literacy and communication skills, cyber-language, cyber-etiquette, and accessibility (including lack of appropriate equipment). [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Background: Adolescents with cerebral palsy (CP) who have mobility limitations have almost no access to inexpensive and enjoyable home-based programs that can be disseminated on a large scale to help them independently manage their health through participation in leisure-time physical activity (LTPA). Objective: The primary aim of this study was to determine the preliminary efficacy of the early adoption phase of an adult Movement-to-Music (M2M) program with behavioral telecoaching for increasing LTPA and activity participation compared with a waitlist control group in adolescents with CP. The secondary aim was to explore the effects of the program on perceived levels of pain and fatigue. The tertiary aim was to qualitatively evaluate the factors that influenced adherence and develop a theory that would inform the development of a more targeted M2M telehealth program for this group. Methods: This randomized controlled trial piloted a 4-week M2M program with weekly behavioral telecoaching among 58 adolescents with CP who walked or used wheelchairs. The participants were randomized into one of 2 groups: M2M or control, which maintained their daily activities. M2M included videos that participants were asked to complete 3 times each week at home (asynchronous training). Adherence to video minutes was objectively measured using cloud-based analytics. Changes in activity and LTPA participation were measured before and after the intervention using the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment total domain scores and active physical recreation domain scores, respectively. Perceived pain and fatigue were measured using the National Institutes of Health Neuro-QoL short forms. The changes in scores were compared between the groups using analysis of covariance. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze one-on-one interviews, coaching notes, and feedback surveys. Results: A total of 58 people were enrolled, of which 49 (84%) completed the primary outcome follow-up assessment. The mean adherence to the prescribed exercise video minutes across all 4 weeks was 68%, starting from 90% in week 1 and gradually declining to 43% in week 4. Mean adherence to coaching calls was 91%. Analysis of covariance revealed a statistically significant difference between the pre- to postchange scores for Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment Active Physical Recreation-Intensity domain scores in favor of the intervention group (F1,47=8.76; P=.005; effect size=0.17, also known as volume of LTPA). The qualitative findings highlighted 5 critical factors that influenced participants' adherence to the program: caregiver support, video elements, suitable exercises, music, and behavioral coaching. Conclusions: This project determined that adolescents with CP responded well to an M2M telehealth program that could enhance their LTPA levels. This paper describes a theory in which adherence to a telehealth LTPA program can be optimized through functional and age-specific modifications for adolescents with CP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of vulnerable defendants by criminal justice systems or correctional systems varies within and between countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine three legal jurisdictions – New South Wales in Australia; Norway; England and Wales – to understand the extent of variation in practice within the court systems for defendants with intellectual disabilities (ID) and/or autism spectrum conditions (ASC). Two of the jurisdictions had a process for screening in place, either in police custody or at court, but this was not universally implemented across each jurisdiction. All three jurisdictions had a process for supporting vulnerable defendants through the legal system. Across the three jurisdictions, there was variation in disposal options from a mandatory care setting to hospital treatment to a custodial sentence for serious offences. This variation requires further international exploration to ensure the rights of defendants with ID or ASC are understood and safeguarded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Joubert Syndrome (JS) is a rare inherited neurodevelopmental disorder defined by a characteristic cerebellar and brainstem malformation (i.e. the molar tooth sign) and variable organ involvement. The aim of the present study was to describe functional limitations and disabilities in a large sample of adult patients with a diagnosis of JS. We administered the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) checklist to thirty-six adult Italian patients with JS or their caregivers through telephone calls. None-to-mild impairment was documented for basic cognitive and mental functions, whereas severe deficit emerged for higher-order skills and language. A mismatch between individuals' capacity for daily activity and social participation and the actual performance in these fields emerged, suggesting that adults with JS may greatly benefit from external support from the caring environment. Indeed, specific facilitators were highlighted, including communication technologies as well as family members, healthcare professionals and peers support. Mild-to-severe barriers have been identified by adult patients with JS in the domains of services, systems and policies. These findings highlight challenges and barriers for adults with JS in areas of daily functioning that may be improved by investing in rehabilitation care models that embed social support programs and policies into clinical interventions. Children with Joubert Syndrome, a child-onset rare inherited neurodevelopmental condition, are growing up and becoming adults; a life course approach in rehabilitation is needed; There is a substantial lack of information on the long-term adaptive daily functioning of children with a diagnosis of Joubert Syndrome; In this paper, the International Classification of Functioning (ICF) was applied to assess the daily functioning in people with JS; Severe deficits emerged for high-order skills and language, whereas the use of communication technologies and the engagement of family members were highlighted as key facilitators; These findings highlight the need for a change of paradigm in the care model of subjects with JS, with the embedding of social support in rehabilitation programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder ( ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder starting in childhood that may persist into adulthood. It can be managed through carefully monitored medication and nonpharmacological interventions. Access to care for children at risk of ADHD varies both within and between countries. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the research evidence related to factors which influence children accessing services for ADHD. Method Studies investigating access to care for children at risk of ADHD were identified through electronic searches of the international peer-reviewed and grey literature. Databases were searched from inception till 30th April 2012. This identified 23,156 articles which were subjected to three levels of screening (title, abstract and full text) by a minimum of two independent reviewers. Due to the heterogeneity in the study designs, a narrative approach was used to present the findings. Results Twenty-seven papers met the inclusion criteria; these were grouped into four main themes, with some papers being included in more than one. These were wider determinants (10 papers); identification of need (9 papers); entry and continuity of care (13 papers) and interventions to improve access (4 papers). Barriers and facilitators to access were found to operate at the individual, organisational and societal level. Limited evidence of effective interventions to improve access was identified. Conclusion This review explored the multilayered obstacles in the pathway to care for children at risk of ADHD and the lack of evidence-based interventions designed to address these issues, thereby indicating areas for service development and further evaluative research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensory symptoms are defined as atypical behavioral responses to daily sensory stimuli that impact on the performance of everyday routines. Sensory symptoms have been observed in young people with and without developmental concerns. There is uncertainty, however, regarding the best way to identify and manage sensory symptoms. The aim of this paper is to provide a review of current best evidence regarding measurement of and interventions for sensory symptoms. Methods: A narrative review methodology is adopted to address the aims of this paper. First, sensory symptoms are defined, and then, an overview of the evidence for the relationship between sensory symptoms and childhood function is provided. Second, commonly used sensory assessment tools are summarized and evaluated. Finally, an overview and critique of the evidence for sensory and nonsensory‐based interventions addressing sensory symptoms are given. Results: The terminology used to describe sensory symptoms varies by discipline, and several conceptual taxonomies including sensory subtypes have been proposed. There is ample evidence to support the association of sensory symptoms with childhood function including social engagement, repetitive behaviors, anxiety, and participation in self‐care routines. Measurement of sensory symptoms is dominated by proxy‐report instruments, and few single instruments assess the entire domain of sensory symptomatology. The evidence for interventions for sensory symptoms is emerging but still limited by low quantity and methodological concerns. Conclusions: Effective management of sensory symptoms may mitigate the burden of neurodevelopmental disability and mental illness in young people. Identification of sensory symptoms should be conducted by a skilled practitioner utilizing multiple measurement methods. Intervention protocols for sensory symptoms should be informed by current best evidence which is strongest for Ayres Sensory Integration®, Qigong massage, the Alert Program®, and Social Stories. To make significant progress in this field, however, new intervention studies must address the question of 'what intervention works for whom?'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dental school graduates often have a basic knowledge in the management of patients with specialized healthcare needs. As of August 2019, CODA amended their accreditation standard 2‐25: dental school graduates must be competent in the assessment and management of treatment of patients with specialized healthcare needs and disabilities. While the majority of these patients require modified dental care, many dental schools lack the facilities to provide both the proper care and education. This paper identifies improvements to dental education brought on by the innovations at Penn Dental Medicines' Personalized Care Suite for Persons with Disabilities (PCARE). Patient centered care is the emphasis of the PCARE curriculum. Although the clinic has special rooms and equipment to assist in accommodating the special needs of the patients, the program focuses on teaching dental students how to provide comfortable, safe, and effective care in a typical office setting. Detailed patient assessment, non‐pharmacological management techniques, and treatment plans designed to meet the needs and abilities of the patients and caregivers are taught through lecture and direct patient care. Teaching assessment and management of this population is of great importance. Including treatment in Standard 2‐25 creates another challenge to dental education. Penn Dental's facility allows multidisciplinary care in a cohesive and timely manner. The experience in PCARE offers unique opportunities to educate dental professionals in developing a patient centered approach in the treatment and maintenance of oral health in those patients who require accommodation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides a qualitative meta-analysis of the literature on the use of serious games to assist learners with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It aims to identify the research trends and the possible directions for future research. The study begins with a preliminary online search and selection of a sample of articles to identify the main categories of disabilities. This is followed by a detailed analysis of a selection of articles chosen on the basis of their relevance, year of publication and representation of the studies carried out in this field. The preliminary analysis of articles published in recent years showed that the majority of the articles dealt with the use of digital games to support learners with intellectual disabilities. The findings revealed reports of participants' higher engagement levels and motivation when learning with serious games, in addition to improved competence or performance in domains of language learning and numeracy. Nevertheless, most researchers acknowledged the need for more rigour in validating the effectiveness of the new games as learning tools. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A disability service organization piloted a parent capacity-building intervention for parents of children with developmental disabilities in rural South India. To examine the impact of this parent capacity-building group intervention on parent empowerment, peer support, social inclusion, advocacy skills, and the factors influencing these outcomes. A qualitative study recruited 37 participants from 17 parent groups through convenience sampling. Six focus groups occurred six months post the start of this intervention and explored these parents' experiences with the groups and their perceived impacts. Qualitative analysis yielded four main themes and corresponding sub-themes: peer support (feeling peaceful and supported, building self-efficacy), social inclusion (space to share, acceptance and identity), knowledge sharing (increasing awareness, accepting advice), and advocacy (building confidence, making requests). Participation in parent groups provided participants with opportunities to find peer support, utilize knowledge sharing, feel socially included, and build advocacy skills. This study provides a greater understanding of the impact and benefits of parent capacity-building interventions in low-resource settings. Results will improve this intervention and guide other organizations in creating similar programs. This paper adds perspectives of parents who are caregivers of children with developmental disabilities in rural South India. More specifically, this paper highlights the impact of a parent-focused intervention in group settings in both rural and urban areas. Parent support group interventions are not common in India and low- and middle-income countries and there is a paucity of literature describing these interventions and their impact. In this study, parents described a need for multifaceted interventions to support their child in the community. These parent groups provided space for caregivers of children with developmental disabilities to make connections, feel validated, and grow confidence to utilize new knowledge or advice shared by other parents to further enhance their lives. Further, parent-group settings provide opportunities to build advocacy skills through timely discussions. Parents reported an increase in feelings of acceptance within the group itself but not within the wider community. This highlights the need for involving the wider community in interventions to promote integration for families with children with disabilities. • Parent-group interventions in LMICs and their impact are not well documented. • Social inclusion increased within parent groups but not within the wider community. • Caregivers share and gain knowledge to support their children in parent groups. • Social inclusion within parent groups helps reduce stigma and feelings of exclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to provide a commentary on "A logic model for the implementation of a regional workforce strategy in Positive Behavioural Support". Design/methodology/approach: This commentary provides a discussion of the importance of evaluating positive behaviour support (PBS) training and key issues relating to this. This provides a springboard from which researchers/practitioners may consider these issues when designing and evaluating PBS training courses. Findings: Three main issues are explored: the necessary diversity and breadth of PBS training approaches, the outcome domains to be evaluated and wider systemic issues that may influence PBS training and evaluation of its effectiveness. Originality/value: Effective PBS implementation requires robust training. To achieve this, it will be important for the field to overcome issues relating to the evaluation of training approaches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary Self Directed Support is the latest system of social care providing vulnerable people in the United Kingdom with a budget instead of direct service provision., There is a lack of evidence underpinning the strategy of Self Directed Support., There is a need to learn more about how well the policies are working., Barriers need to be identified and overcome to ensure that people who are eligible can access Self Directed Support., Summary A systematic literature review was undertaken to determine the evidence base underpinning the strategy of Self Directed Support and whether evidence demonstrates that this policy is accessible to everyone with a learning disability. It also sought to identify whether there were any barriers to Self Directed Support for people with severe or profound learning disabilities and, if so, how these barriers could be overcome. Four mixed-method research papers, two quantitative studies, seven qualitative studies and four literature reviews were identified. The findings indicated that very few studies pertain specifically to people with learning disabilities, and little account has been taken of their range of ability or the distinction between adults with legal capacity and those without. It is evident from the literature that Self Directed Support is not, as yet, attainable for everyone with a learning disability but those able to access it have reported an improvement in their quality of life. There is a need for further research to determine the extent of awareness and understanding of the policy of Self Directed Support, and the implications it will have on the future care of people with a wide range of learning disabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Assistive technologies are playing a vital role in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. OBJECTIVE: The current paper presents the design and assessment of an "all-in-one" wearable solution incorporating location monitoring, scheduling, communication, and physiological parameters monitoring functionalities for children with autism and their families/carers. METHODS: Twenty high-functioning children and twenty-five parents participated in the research. The final application was assessed over a period of two months. A highly patient-centred design was followed by a multidisciplinary team of experts (experts in the field of special education, speech therapy, psychology, and informatics) with significant experience in children with autism. The evaluation took place in a real and open environment. All participants were administered the PYTHEIA questionnaire in order to assess the various characteristics of the platform. Pearson's Chi-squared test was used to examine the independence of the variables, with a statistical significance of 95%. RESULTS: The results support that the implemented features can effectively assist everyday life activities and facilitate the independent living of children with autism. The subjective evaluation of the solution revealed important considerations for further developments. Both groups of users (parents and children) were very satisfied with the implemented functionalities. The flexibility given by the PYTHEIA instrument was very important for the subjective assessment of the different functionalities of the solution. All examined axes were found excellent in terms of their adaptability in daily life activities. CONCLUSIONS: Real-world applications, able to run in an open and uncontrolled environment are critical for this population. PYTHEIA is a valuable instrument that supports the assessment of the device and application as a whole, as well as the evaluation of individual features and functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes the initial results of work to create a recommender system to match technology products to people with I/DD by applying machine learning to a large volume of data about: people with I/DD; the technology products they use; and the outcomes they aim to achieve with technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Persons with developmental disabilities (PWDD) face a number of individual, environmental and societal barriers when seeking employment. Integrated knowledge translation (IKT) involves ongoing and dynamic interactions between researchers and stakeholders for the purpose of engaging in mutually beneficial research to address these types of multi-faceted barriers. There is a knowledge gap in the IKT literature on effective stakeholder engagement strategies outside of the dissemination stage to inform policy. In this paper, we report on a number of engagement strategies employed over a 2-year period to engage a wide range of stakeholders in different stages of an IKT project that aimed to investigate the 'wicked' problem of employment for PWDD.Method: Our engagement plan included multiple linked strategies and was designed to ensure the meaningful engagement of, and knowledge co-production with, stakeholders. We held two participatory consensus-building stakeholder policy dialogue events to co-produce knowledge utilising the nominal group technique and the modified Delphi technique. A total of 31 and 49 stakeholders engaged in the first and second events, respectively, from six key stakeholder groups. Focused engagement strategies were employed to build on the stakeholder dialogues for knowledge mobilisation and included a focus group attended only by PWDD, a stakeholder workshop attended only by policy/decision-makers, a webinar attended by human resources professionals and employers, and a current affairs panel attended by the general public.Results: Our findings suggest that the level of engagement for each stakeholder group varies depending on the goal and need of the project. Our stakeholder dialogue findings highlight the inherent challenges in co-framing and knowledge co-production through the meaningful engagement of multiple stakeholders who hold different ideas and interests. Focused outreach is needed to foster relationships and trust for meaningful engagement.Conclusions: In addition to providing guidance on how to implement adaptable meaningful engagement strategies, these findings contribute to discussions on how IKT projects are planned and funded. More studies to explore effective mechanisms for engaging a wide range of stakeholders in IKT research are needed. More evidence of successful engagement strategies employed by researchers to achieve meaningful knowledge co-production is also key to advancing the discipline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bariatric surgery is an effective treatment for children and adolescents with severe obesity. However, outcomes in youth with cognitive impairments and/or developmental delays are understudied. This paper reviewed the literature on bariatric surgery within this population. Fourteen studies published from 1975 to 2019 were identified. The majority (93%) of studies included patients with genetic disorders. Most studies reported no peri-operative complications (69%) and improved health outcomes (79%), with variable weight-loss results (29.2–86.2% excess weight loss). No significant differences were reported for youth with and without cognitive impairment and/or developmental delay in two studies. Limited available data suggest bariatric surgery may promote weight loss and improve health comorbidities for youth, irrespective of cognitive or developmental functioning. Clinical recommendations for working with patients and families are included. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]