Using PAR to promote social justice for older people and people with intellectual disabilities

2020 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 219-232

Author(s):

Katie Wright-Bevans ◽

Michael Richards

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Health Promotion ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

The Other ◽

Participatory Methods ◽

Research Projects ◽

Participatory Action ◽

People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Community Choir

Qualitative research methods and participatory action research (PAR) share many intrinsic and complementary qualities. We present two cases, one adopted a broader PAR approach, a health promotion project with men with intellectual disabilities, and the other used participatory methods within a longitudinal qualitative study exploring the benefits of community choir participation. We discuss the nature of the methods adopted and how they helped and hindered both research projects. We conclude that despite some common challenges, qualitative studies can benefit from drawing on PAR principles.

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Understanding violence when the perpetrator has an intellectual disability: The perceptions of professionals

Journal of Intellectual Disabilities ◽

10.1177/1744629517747161 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 23 (4) ◽

pp. 552-566 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Andrew Lovell ◽

Joanne Skellern

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Disability ◽

Data Analysis ◽

Qualitative Study ◽

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

The Other ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Violent Behaviour ◽

People With Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Views And Perceptions ◽

The Impact

Aim: The research sought to enhance professional understanding of the violence perpetrated by some people with an intellectual disability. Background: The violent behaviour exhibited by some people with intellectual disabilities remains poorly understood, particularly with regard to a clear and informative definition. Design: A qualitative study investigated the views and perceptions of professionals working directly with people with an intellectual disability in different settings. Methods: Twenty-two semi-structured interviews were undertaken with professionals from a variety of backgrounds, and four themes were generated through data analysis. Findings: Themes produced comprised the degree of intellectual disability, impulsivity, intentionality and unpredictability. Findings indicated tension between understanding violence as purposeful and explaining it in relation to the intellectual disability and/or additional conditions. Conclusion: Intellectual disability is central to understanding the impact of the other three themes, though there is a professional reluctance to use such knowledge as evidence to inform practice.

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Stress factors in persons with intellectual disabilities in different types of housing

Medicinski pregled ◽

10.2298/mpns2008221t ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 73 (7-8) ◽

pp. 221-228

Author(s):

Daniela Tamas ◽

Nina Brkic-Jovanovic ◽

Danica Vasiljevic

Keyword(s):

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Life Stress ◽

Interpersonal Relationship ◽

Well Being ◽

Supported Housing ◽

The Other ◽

Stress Factors ◽

Housing Program ◽

Different Types ◽

People With Intellectual Disabilities

Introduction. Type of housing is of great importance for the overall quality of life and general psychosocial well-being of persons with intellectual disabilities, as evidenced by the results of numerous studies showing that people with intellectual disabilities living in institutions have a lower level of life satisfaction compared to those living in the open community. Material and Methods. In order to determine the levels of experienced stress related to the type of housing in people with intellectual disabilities, we carried out a study including 122 persons with intellectual disabilities living in different types of housing; in institutions (n = 51), with families (n = 38), and in the supported housing program (n = 33). The Life Stress Inventory was used for the purpose of this research. Results. The results showed that people who were included in the supported housing program experienced the least stress, compared to the subjects who lived with their families or in institutions (p < 0.001). Stress was the least prevalent in the supported housing program, but the other two groups had similar results. The presence of stress did not differ significantly between subjects living with their families and those living in institutions. Conclusion. We can conclude that subjects living in supported housing experienced significantly less stress compared to the other two groups. Different types of housing were associated with different levels of stress. Overall, negative interpersonal relationship was identified as the stress factor that correlated most significantly with other stress factors.

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‘I Do Not Appear to Have had Previous Letters’. The Potential and Pitfalls of Using a Qualitative Correspondence Method to Facilitate Insights Into Life in Prison During the Covid-19 Pandemic

International Journal of Qualitative Methods ◽

10.1177/16094069211047129 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 ◽

pp. 160940692110471

Author(s):

Matthew Maycock

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Data Collection ◽

Qualitative Methodology ◽

Research Projects ◽

Participatory Action ◽

Action Research Project ◽

Face To Face ◽

Significant Challenge ◽

Ethical Approval ◽

Research Questions

The Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown represents a significant challenge for qualitative researchers due to social distancing measures restricting face-to-face data collection. At the time of ethical approval (early April 2020), all face-to-face research projects facilitated by the Scottish Prison Service and most prison jurisdictions were paused. In response to these methodological challenges, a participatory action correspondence methodology was designed in order for people in custody to influence the direction of this project by suggesting research questions and themes. This article analyses the potential of this approach, what this illuminated and critically engages with the challenges of implementing this qualitative methodology. Eight participants were selected due to previous participation in a Participatory Action Research project at one Scottish prison. After consent was given via post, eight letters were sent to the participants. This paper analyses the questions relating to, and aspects of Covid-19 that were important to the participants, in the hope that these insights will influence other qualitative research on the impacts of Covid-19 within prison settings. Methodologically and theoretically, this paper illustrates the potential and challenges relating to using a qualitative correspondence method to facilitate unique insights into life in custody during what emerges as a particularly challenging time in prison settings. More widely the paper reiterates and restates the importance of qualitative research methods as methods that provide unique and rich insights into the Covid-19 pandemic.

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Emancipatoir organisatieonderzoek naar de invoering van een cliëntvolgsysteem

KWALON ◽

10.5117/2015.020.002.032 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 20 (2) ◽

Author(s):

Yvonne Timmermans ◽

Annemiek Stoopendaal

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Organizational Change ◽

Intellectual Disabilities ◽

Building Trust ◽

The People ◽

Change In Practice ◽

People With Intellectual Disabilities

Emancipatory qualitative research into an organizational change from the perspective of clients with intellectual disabilities and their attending professionals Emancipatory qualitative research into an organizational change from the perspective of clients with intellectual disabilities and their attending professionals This emancipatory research studied the effects of an organizational change in an institute for people with intellectual disabilities both from the perspective of clients and of their attending professionals. Data was collected through observations followed by interviews. First, professionals were interviewed to obtain an image of the organizational change in practice. Then, the clients were observed and interviewed. The sequencing of these methods enabled the interviews with the people with intellectual disabilities by building trust and by using concrete examples that came to the fore during the observations.

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