‘My life in the institution’ and ‘My life in the community’: policies and practice in Taiwan

Author(s):  
Yueh-Ching Chou

In Taiwan social services for people with intellectual disabilities have been established since 1980 and a movement supporting people to live in the community was launched in 2000. However, deinstitutionalisation has never been a state policy and it has rarely been considered and recognised by parents and service workers. Although Taiwan is not a member of the UN, it passed into law an Implementation Act based on the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD) in 2014. Thus the Taiwan government has a legal responsibility to comply with the CRPD’s general obligations. This chapter firstdescribes the history of people with intellectual disabilities in Taiwan and articulates its historical and political context. Secondly, it narrates the life stories of three citizens with intellectual disabilities to express how their lives, both in institutions and in the community, have been intertwined with wider social, historical and political contexts. The conclusion examines the need for the continuation of advocacy concerning the right to choose where to live for people with intellectual disabilities in Taiwan.

This book provides a transnational perspective on intellectual disability in the twentieth century with contributions from distinguished authors in 14 countries across 5 continents. Each chapter outlines policies and practice from the featured nation. Life stories illustrate their impact on people with intellectual disabilities and their families. The book brings together accounts of how intellectual disability was viewed, managed and experienced in countries across the globe. It examines the origins and nature of contemporary attitudes, policy and practice; and sheds light on the challenges of implementing the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (UNCPRD).


Author(s):  
Guðrún Stefánsdóttir

This chapter considers the history of people with intellectual disabilities in Iceland, paying particular attention to the last quarter of the twentieth century when ideas about a normal life began to influence Icelandic disability policy and legislation, which has emphasised social equality and participation for over 30 years. The first half of the twentieth century can be characterised by negative social perception and isolation at institutions. The ´professional community´ pursued aggressively restrictive meassure such as controlled marriage, sterilization and segregation through institutionalization. During the 1960s and 1970s ideologies (sometimes problematic) of normalization and social role valorisation replaced ideas of segregation and institutionalization, calling for a ‘normal life’ for people with intellectual disabilities and advocating their right to take part in regular community life. Historically they played a huge role in de-institutionalization. However, often there was a gap between experiences of people with intellectual disabilities and the normalization principle which assumed that people with intellectual disabilities should have the right to self-determination and to a normal life.


Author(s):  
Olha A. Vovchenko

The article outlines the psychological features of the age period, which is determined by the scientific category as an “adolescent crisis”. The problem of the adolescent crisis has been revealed in people with intellectual disabilities. The importance and relevance of the study is revealed first, due to the difficulties of adolescence: its dynamism, ambiguity, lack of emotional stability of the individual; secondly, due to the specifics of personality formation with intellectual disabilities; thirdly, the need to further develop effective psychological support for adolescents with intellectual disabilities. The aim of the article was to study and experimentally test the specifics of the emotional crisis of adolescence in people with intellectual disabilities. The purpose was provided by solving the following tasks: stating the peculiarities of the adolescent crisis in people with intellectual disabilities; determining the state of formation of “I-concept” and “self-image” of adolescents with intellectual disabilities; establishing the specifics of behavioral reactions and interaction of the adolescent with others (peers, the elderly) in conditions of experiencing an age crisis. Moreover, the author conducted a psychological testing procedure to study the peculiarities of the formation of the personality of a teenager with intellectual disabilities during the age crisis (adolescent crisis). M. Kuhn’s psychological testing method “Who am I?”, T. Leary’s method of diagnostics of interpersonal relations were used; conversations, observations. The purpose of using these techniques was to determine the self-image, self-presentation, self-perception and self-esteem of adolescents with intellectual disabilities. According to the results of the study, it was found that adolescents with intellectual disabilities have a process of self-knowledge and understanding of their own “I”, internal mental acts and states are underdeveloped or absent. This complicates the process of experiencing an adolescent’s crisis. As evidenced by the low level of recognition and differentiation of emotions, emotional awareness, management of their own emotions. Also critical are difficulties with the adequate expression of emotions in accordance with the situation that determines them, in particular with the manifestation and control of anger, rage, aggression and other. The further directions of research of formation of the person with infringements of intellectual development in adolescent age are outlined.


10.3823/2592 ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cícero Ferreira Freitas ◽  
Modesto Leite Rolim Neto

Background: One must take into account the conditions that develop the lives of several women who are at risk, above all, in terms of mental health. In addition, Latin American countries dominate the 10 ranking on feminicide. Objective: To understand the chaotic scenario that haunts the reality of many women around the world. Dark, bloody and restrained are common adjectives to the silent daily suffering they experience. Results: In general, there’s also a reluctance in some communities to acknowledge violence against women as a problem. Thus, it is noted that such taboos make it difficult to debate the topic. As a consequence, the chauvinism culture silences an already voiceless problem because of the lack of financial support experienced by these women to raise their children. At this stage, demanding justice and upholding the law guaranteeing the right to life of all citizens often seems to be the only way to punish the perpetrators of these women. Limitations: Although it is a current theme, faced with the situational framework, it is difficult to find evidence about this aspect, it's important to highlight that those vulnerability factors are also risk factors for mental health disorders following assault. It was found that factors such as age, personal characteristics such as the life history of each person, involvement with self-mutilation, participation and support in mental or social services suggest to be more important than the type of aggression as predictors of mental disorders health. Conclusion: At first sight it seems that it is impossible to give what you do not have for someone who does not want to, but this is only a psychological contradiction if you consider indifference and love, or anger and love, or hatred and love as opposing feelings, as long as those feelings can exist simultaneously. It is necessary for society to reclaim humanity for women to exercise freedom. Because based on what was seen are still cultural patterns, like misogyny, discrimination and the ideal of male superiority that support the guilty of the assaulted rather than the aggressor.


2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 601-616 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcela Cornejo ◽  
Carolina Rocha ◽  
Nicolás Villarroel ◽  
Enzo Cáceres ◽  
Anastassia Vivanco

The current memory struggles about the Chilean dictatorship makes it increasingly relevant to hear a diverse range of voices on the subject. One way of addressing this is to study autobiographical narratives, in which people construct a character to present themselves as the protagonists of a story by taking multiple positions regarding what is remembered. This article presents a study that analyzed the life stories of Chilean people (diverse in their generations, cities, experiences of political repression, political orientations and socio-economic levels) and that distinguished between the positions that they take when presenting themselves as the protagonists of an autobiographical story about the Chilean dictatorship. The results point to salient and recurrent positions that allow people to earn the right to be considered part of the social history of the dictatorship, that involve different definitions regarding those responsible and the victims of what happened, and that unveil a strong family and filial logic of remembering.


2011 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-140 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jari Kuosmanen ◽  
Mikaela Starke

• Summary: This article explores a relatively uncharted research area. The focus of the analysis is on how professionals working in care provision units, specialized prostitution units, the police, social services and special schools detect and deal with prostitution among people with intellectual disabilities. The data were obtained primarily through focus group interviews. The study shows that organizational specialization in different authorities and services makes it difficult to identify and work with this group. Clients with complex problems tend to find themselves in between the jurisdictional fields of different authorities, meaning that many do not receive the support that they need. • Findings: In recent decades social work has undergone increasing balkanization and specialization. Each particular organization is regulated by specific legislation, regulations, forms of knowledge and normative assumptions. Professionals working with people with intellectual disabilities have difficulties in detecting prostitution among their clients, whilst those who work with prostitution lack the knowledge and methods to work with intellectual disabilities. At the same time, social work with these individuals is conducted within a field of tension between the client′s right of self-determination and professionals’ responsibilities for their well-being. • Applications: The study demonstrates that, with this type of complex problem, it is important to establish different types of collaboration between different organizations. However, due to the risk of increased control being detrimental to clients, collaboration needs to be founded on the client’s needs and right to self-determination.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 29-34
Author(s):  
Marta Bibro ◽  
Agnieszka Jankowicz-Szymańska ◽  
Katarzyna Wódka ◽  
Małgorzata Łaczek-Wójtowicz

Background: In the population of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) there is a frequent occurrence of bone deformities and orthopedic problems affecting the feet as well. They are associated with a change of the loading of the feet. It affects the deterioration of the functional efficiency of the feet, often contributes to discomfort, pain and predisposes to the development of adverse changes in the upper body segments. The aim of the study was to assess the impact of intellectual disability in participants with aetiology other than Down’s syndrome on longitudinal arching and symmetry of lateral and medial load of the foot. Materials and methods: There were 38 participants with mild and moderate intellectual disability, with an average age of 23 years and 44 young non-disabled people with an average age of 20.8 under research. The main measurement tool used to assess the arching and loading the foot zones was the BTS P-WALK platform. The measurement included analysis in terms of statics and lasted 30s. Results: The comparison of both groups showed no significant differentiation in the medial and lateral load of the forefoot and rearfoot. Among people with ID correct arches of the feet were observed in 52.6% of participants in the right foot and 57.9% of the left foot, while in the control group in 56.9% in both the right and left foot. People with intellectual disabilities were characterized by a higher rate of flatfoot in relation to the control group. The hollow foot was more frequently observed in control group than in people with ID. Conclusions: In people with intellectual disabilities with aetiology other than Down’s syndrome, flat feet are diagnosed more often than in healthy peers who do not differ in body weight and BMI. Intellectual disability is associated with a greater loading of the medial part of the forefoot.


2016 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 19-30
Author(s):  
Anna Nadolska ◽  
Piotr Bejster

Abstract Background: One of the consequences of improperly extending the process of socialization is incorrect health education and thus, different structure of the behaviors associated with taking care of their own health. More difficult socio-economic situation of families with children with intellectual disabilities may not adequately protect the needs of family members (especially children’s) associated with health. Up to 1/3 of the cases of people with intellectual disabilities of poorer health state can result from lower socio-economic position (Emerson and Hatton, 2007). Educational failure, typical for families of children and young people with intellectual disabilities (especially mild) can result in the children not acquiring appropriate behaviors, important for health. If these behaviors are missing, consequently, can be expected to accelerate the deterioration of health. The health status of people with intellectual disabilities is worse than the state of health in the general population (Allerton, Welch, Emerson, 2011; Tample et al., 2006). The most serious consequence of the poorer health of people with intellectual disabilities is a higher mortality rate (Krahn et al, 2006). The average life expectancy of people with intellectual disabilities is 66 (excluding people with Down syndrome whose life expectancy is even shorter), and so more than 10 years shorter than of people. In so-called intellectual norm! Bearing in mind that access to the highest standard of health care for all people with disabilities is a law that was adopted on 13 December 2006 under the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, Special Olympics Poland have taken the initiative leading to beneficial changes in quality of life for the players and their families in the context of health and modeling appropriate health behavior through the implementation of the Health Programme, which includes the two related projects: Healthy Athletes and Healthy Special Olympics Community.


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