Support a Healthy Lifestyle for People With Moderate To Profound Intellectual Disabilities With Behaviour Change Techniques

Document Type

Abstract

Publication Date

6-30-2021

Publication Title

Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities

Volume

34

Issue

5

First page number:

1304

Last page number:

1304

Abstract

Background: Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) provide important lifestyle behaviour support for people with intellectual disabilities. They can use behaviour change techniques (BCTs) to do this. We aimed to evaluate which BCTs are used for supporting healthy lifestyle behaviour of people with moderate to profound ID by DSPs. Method: 18 DSPs were observed in their daily work with audio-visual recordings. The Coventry Aberdeen London Refined (CALO-RE-NL) taxonomy was used for coding BCTs. Differences in the characteristics of people with intellectual disabilities and DSPs in relation to the BCTs used were evaluated. Results: Most of the coded BCTs were used by DSPs (33 BCTs out of 42), but they rely heavily on nine of them. DSPs mostly used “feedback on performance,” “instructions on how to perform the behaviour” and “doing together.” No statistical differences were found for the characteristics of people with intellectual disabilities or DSPs for the top nine BCTs used. Conclusions: DSPs mostly rely on nine BCTs. Although no statistical differences were found, DSPs use more BCTs for people with more severe intellectual disabilities. DSPs who support people with severe or profound intellectual disabilities are more aware of demonstrating, setting graded tasks and encouraging people with intellectual disabilities to practice healthy lifestyles.

Disciplines

Disability Studies | Occupational Therapy

Language

English

UNLV article access

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