Arts & Social Sciences
Te Kura Kete Aronui

Abstract

Kubiak, C. (1995). Moving up the Steep Hill: The Social Lives of Six People with an Intellectual Disability. An Exploratory Study. Unpublished Master of Social Science Thesis. Hamilton: University of Waikato.

Relationships and the social lives of people with intellectual disabilities are a growing interest in the current era of deinstitutionalisation and community care. The present study was an exploratory investigation into the nature of the social lives of people with intellectual disabilities. It gave special interest to the way services can improve the opportunities for people with intellectual disabilities to develop relationships with other people. A semi-structured, open ended interview schedule was used to interview six Pakeha people with intellectual disabilities (primary participants) as well as one to three people each who knew them well (secondary participants). It was found that the primary participants had social networks mainly consisting of biological family and people associated with intellectual disability services (staff, clients and alternative family carers). Seven themes in the social lives of the primary participants also emerged. These themes were concerned with implications for the primary participantsÕ social lives of the social facilitation activities of network members; the role of service staff; social respect; social choices; day programmes and contact with other people; the way the social network compensated for personaldeficits; and the characteristics of particular network members. On the basis of these themes, recommendations focussing on enhancing the social opportunities of people with intellectual disabilities in general. Reflecting on the results and recommendations of the study, it was concluded that the social network can influence the degree to which the primary participantsÕ deficits were disabling as well as the nature of their social life. It was also argued that as a result of service influence and particular personal effects related to having an intellectual disability, the primary participants were members of a subset community made up of family and people associated with the service. Acknowledging that this has both positive and negative implications it was concluded that services should be directed by the needs and preferences of their clients. If requested they should attempt to foster relationships between their clients and regular community members.