Profound ID (profound + id)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Effects of Four Therapy Procedures on Communication in People with Profound Intellectual Disabilities

JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 2 2001
William R. Lindsay
A number of alternative therapies have recently been employed with people who have intellectual disabilities (IDs). The present study examines the effects of four frequently used therapies on the communication of people with profound ID. Communication was assessed using five measures of positive communication and five measures of negative communication. The therapies assessed were Snoezelen, active therapy, relaxation and aromatherapy/hand massage. There were eight participants in the present study and each received all four of the therapeutic procedures in a counterbalanced design. Treatment procedures were videotaped at sessions 5, 10, 15 and 20, and later scored for defined measures of communication. Both Snoezelen and relaxation increased the level of positive communication and had some effect on decreasing negative communication. However, active therapy and aromatherapy/hand massage had little or no effect on communication. The lack of a no-treatment control is noted, especially in the light of trends seen at baseline. Considering the lack of generalization of therapeutic effects, the present results should be treated with caution. [source]


Cause-specific mortality and death certificate reporting in adults with moderate to profound intellectual disability

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 11 2009
F. Tyrer
Abstract Background The study of premature deaths in people with intellectual disability (ID) has become the focus of recent policy initiatives in England. This is the first UK population-based study to explore cause-specific mortality in adults with ID compared with the general population. Methods Cause-specific standardised mortality ratios (SMRs) and exact 95% confidence intervals were calculated by age and sex for adults with moderate to profound ID living in the unitary authorities of Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland, UK, between 1993 and 2006. Causes of death were also studied to determine how often ID and associated conditions, such as Down syndrome, were mentioned. Results A total of 503 (17% of population) adults with ID died during the 14-year study period (30 144 person-years). Relatively high cause-specific mortality was seen for deaths caused by congenital abnormalities (SMR = 8560), diseases of the nervous system and sense organs (SMR = 1630), mental disorders (other than dementia) (SMR = 1141) and bronchopneumonia (SMR = 647). Excess deaths were also seen for diseases of the genitourinary system or digestive system, cerebrovascular disease, other respiratory infections, dementia (in men only), other circulatory system diseases (in women only) and accidental deaths (in women only). Two-fifths (n = 204; 41%) of deaths recorded in adults with ID mentioned ID or an associated condition as a contributing cause of death. Conclusions Strategies to reduce inequalities in people with ID need to focus on decreasing mortality from potentially preventable causes, such as respiratory infections, circulatory system diseases and accidental deaths. The lack of mention of ID on death certificates highlights the importance of effective record linkage and ID reporting in health and social care settings to facilitate the government's confidential inquiry into causes of death in this population. [source]


Unnoticed post-void residual urine volume in people with moderate to severe intellectual disabilities: prevalence and risk factors

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 9 2009
K. H. De Waal
Abstract Background Increased post-void residual urine volume (PVR) is often seen in geriatric populations. People with intellectual disabilities (ID) have risk factors in common with these populations. Aims To investigate in adults with ID: ,,Feasibility of portable ultrasound bladder scanning; ,,Prevalence of PVR; and ,,Relations with proposed risk factors for PVR. Methods In a cross-sectional design, PVR was measured using ultrasound scanning in 346 adults with moderate to severe ID aged 18,82 years. Relationship between increased PVR and the following risk factors was assessed: age, level of ID, gender, ambulancy, medication, chronic illnesses, incontinence and profound multiple disabilities (PMD). Acceptation of scanning and manageability were noted. Results Feasibility: All participants were cooperatively undergoing the ultrasound scan and all outcomes were sufficiently interpretable. Prevalence: PVR , 150 mL was newly identified in 30/346 persons (8.7%, 95% confidence interval 5.92,12.14). Associations: Higher age (P = 0.001), laxative use (P = 0.001), chronic illnesses other than epilepsy (P = 0.005), profound ID (P = 0.008), incontinence (P = 0.048) and immobility (P = 0.005) are determinants that were associated with urinary retention. Conclusions The bladder ultrasound scan is a feasible method to identify increased PVR in adults with more severe levels of ID. The prevalence of PVR in adults is similar to prevalences found in the geriatric general population. [source]


Assessing the balance capabilities of people with profound intellectual disabilities who have experienced a fall

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 4 2007
L. Hale
Abstract Background Although it is common for people with intellectual disability (ID) to fall, the reasons for this have not yet been identified. This pilot study aimed to explore the balance capabilities of a sample of adults with profound ID who had experienced a fall, in order to identify possible reasons for falling and to identify potential tests that could be used to quantify balance capabilities in this population group. Methods The neuromuscular systems and balance capabilities of 20 adults with profound ID were comprehensively assessed with a battery of tests, including computerized posturography. Results Of the 20 participants, 15 described themselves as frequent fallers, and 10 participants reported serious injuries as a result of falling. Formalized assessment of the neuromuscular and balance capabilities proved to be challenging, with many participants unable to comprehend what was required of them in the performance of a number of the tests. All participants were observed to have an abnormal pattern of walking. Nine participants completed posturography testing, the main finding of which was that low motor control composite scores indicated a slowing of motor responses to postural perturbations. Other potential risk factors identified were concurrent medical problems, medication, the context and environment of falling, movement impulsiveness and distractibility, and visual deficits. Conclusion The reason why people with ID frequently fall appears complex and multifactorial. Larger studies are required to verify the potential risk factors identified in this pilot study. Many of the standardized outcome measures commonly used in physiotherapy practice to quantify balance capabilities are not suitable for use in this population group, as participants found it difficult to comprehend what was required of them. Allowing the person to become familiarized with both the test and the tester may help to alleviate this problem. Videotaping and quantifying observations of strategies people use to perform common movements such as walking or turning maybe a more appropriate measurement tool of balance capabilities of people with ID than current standardized measures. This method would require rigorous development. [source]


Refining diagnoses: applying the DC-LD to an Irish population with intellectual disability

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 11 2005
A. Felstrom
Abstract Background The diagnostic criteria for psychiatric disorders for use with adults with learning disabilities/mental retardation (DC-LD) is a diagnostic tool developed in 2001 to improve upon existing classification systems for adults with learning disability. The aim of this study was to apply the classification system described by the DC-LD to a residential intellectual disability (ID) population to examine whether it improved our diagnostic understanding of residents. Methods Chart reviews of 113 of 178 people in a residential ID service were conducted. For each resident, information was recorded according to the DC-LD multi-axial system. Each resident's case was then discussed with a member of nursing staff familiar with the resident. If diagnosis was unclear, the case was discussed with a senior clinical psychiatrist. Results The percentage of residents with a moderate to profound ID was 87.6%. In total, 94 diagnoses of psychiatric illness (Axis III, Level B, DC-LD) were made. Of those 94 diagnoses, seven new diagnoses were found because of DC-LD criteria. Of the total number of psychiatric diagnoses made, 72.3% were non-specific, residual category diagnoses. A total of 79 residents (69.9%) had at least one behaviour problem diagnosed on Axis III, Level D, Problem behaviours. Fifty-six (49.6%) of residents in this sample had co-morbid epilepsy. Conclusions In people with moderate to profound learning disabilities, diagnosis continues to be challenging. The DC-LD is a useful tool in helping to clarify diagnoses in this population by providing revised criteria and a system to classify problem behaviours. The DC-LD would be more helpful if specific axes were included to document medical and psychosocial problems independently from other diagnoses. Further research is warranted to determine whether the DC-LD hierarchical approach to diagnosis improves diagnostic validity. [source]


Preliminary evaluation of a scale to assess cognitive function in adults with Down's syndrome: the Prudhoe Cognitive Function Test

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2003
D. W. K. Kay
Abstract Background In the clinical diagnosis of dementia in Down's syndrome (DS), it may be difficult to distinguish between cognitive deterioration and the various degrees of pre-existing intellectual disability (ID). Serial measurements of both cognitive function and behaviour are required. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the performance of non-demented adults with DS on a subject-directed instrument, the Prudhoe Cognitive Function Test (PCFT), preliminary to its serial use in a prospective study. Methods From 1985 to 1986, 85 non-demented hospitalized adults with DS were interviewed using the PCFT. The Adaptive Behavior Scale (ABS) was administered to the carers. The subjects' levels of ID (graded from mild through moderate, severe and profound to untestable) were based on their scores on the Stanford,Binet Intelligence Scale, as reported in the medical records, and the relationship between level of disability and performance on the PCFT and ABS, and their respective domains, was examined. Results Both scales produced a wide range of scores and the correlation between them was highly significant. Both scales correlated highly significantly with the degree of ID, but more subjects with high levels (i.e. profound to untestable) of disability obtained very low or zero scores on the PCFT and its domains than on the ABS. Conclusions The PCFT provides a reliable quantitative measure of cognitive function in subjects with DS, and could be a useful adjunct to the diagnosis of dementia in prospective studies. However, the almost uniformly low scores obtained by those with high levels of ID suggests that its power to detect cognitive decline will be limited to those who are less disabled, while the ABS may be more useful than the PCFT in detecting deterioration in people with profound ID. [source]


Assessment and diagnosis of depression in people with intellectual disability

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 1 2003
J. A. McBrien
Abstract Background Despite widespread acceptance that depression can occur in adults with intellectual disability (ID), the difficulties encountered in its assessment and diagnosis have hampered the individual clinician, and meant that questions of prevalence, treatment choice and outcome remain problematic. Method The present paper reviews the progress in this field since three reviews, all published in the mid-1990s, recommended further attention to three interlinked issues: diagnostic criteria, the symptoms of depression in this group and the lack of rating scales. Results Despite a further 11 published papers and other studies in progress, the method of diagnosis for people with severe and profound ID remains debatable, with some authors advocating adherence to standard criteria, others suggesting adding criteria to the standard ones and yet others believing that substitute criteria are called for. However, for those with mild to moderate ID, a consensus is emerging that standard diagnostic criteria are appropriate. There has been progress in examining some of the symptoms which might constitute depression in people with ID. New diagnostic criteria issued by the Royal College of Psychiatrists are to be welcomed. There is an assumption in much of the research that symptoms of behaviour commonly termed challenging or maladaptive must be atypical symptoms of depression, but none of the studies reviewed demonstrate this effectively. This is compounded by methodological flaws in the way that depressed samples are arrived at for further study. Although new rating scales have emerged, there is as yet no gold standard diagnostic tool for depression amongst people with ID. Conclusions It is suggested that, given these difficulties, the validity of the conceptual frameworks for depression is still in doubt. It remains the case that large-scale, collaborative, prospective studies are called for. [source]


Sleep problems and daytime problem behaviours in children with intellectual disability

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 7 2002
R. Didden
Abstract Background Sleep problems are common among children with intellectual disability (ID). Method The present study assessed the prevalence of severe sleep problems in a sample of children (n=286) with mild to profound ID who lived at home with their parents(s) in the Netherlands. It also explored relationships between severe sleep problems, and family and child variables. Demographic information, data on children's sleep behaviours and parent variables were collected using questionnaires. Results Severe settling problems, night waking and early waking were present in 4.2%, 10.8% and 4.2% of cases, respectively; 16.1% of children had at least one type of sleep problem. Children with a severe sleep problem had more severe levels of ID, used medication more often, had a greater frequency of epilepsy, were younger, had a greater frequency of cerebral palsy, and showed more daytime drowsiness and daytime napping than children without a severe sleep problem. Furthermore, children with a severe sleep problem showed more severe levels of daytime problem behaviours; for example, aggression, non-compliance and hyperactivity. Conclusion The results of the present study are discussed with regard to the assessment and treatment of sleep problems in children with ID. [source]


The relationship between levels of mood, interest and pleasure and ,challenging behaviour' in adults with severe and profound intellectual disability

JOURNAL OF INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY RESEARCH, Issue 3 2002
E. Ross
Abstract Background Research on affective disorders in adults with intellectual disability (ID) suggests that depression may not present a ,classic picture' in individuals with severe and profound ID, but may include challenging behaviours, which are referred to as ,atypical symptoms', such as self-injury, aggression and irritability. The aim of the present study was to explore whether there is an association between constructs relating closely to the core symptoms of depression and challenging behaviours in adults with severe and profound ID. Method Mood and levels of interest and pleasure were measured in 53 adults with severe or pro-found ID using the Mood, Interest and Pleasure Questionnaire (MIPQ). Results Two groups of adults were identified based on MIPQ scores: (1) a ,low mood' group (lowest score = 12); and (2) a comparison group (highest scoring = 12). The groups were clearly differentiated on the MIPQ (P < 0.0001), but were comparable on age, gender and medication use. The Challenging Behaviour Interview showed no difference between the two groups in self-injury, aggression or disrupting the environment. A secondary analysis revealed that participants who showed challenging behaviour scored significantly lower on the MIPQ than those who did not show challenging behaviour. Conclusions Possible reasons for these results and considerations for future studies are discussed. [source]


Perceptions of Death and Management of Grief in People with Intellectual Disability

JOURNAL OF POLICY AND PRACTICE IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES, Issue 2 2006
Rianne Meeusen-van de Kerkhof
Abstract, The authors examine the way in which people with intellectual disability (ID) handle death and mourning, and note that the way in which death and bereavement are being experienced depends , among other things , upon the intellectual and socio-emotional age of the individual. The authors used the theories formulated by Piaget (cognitive development), Do,en (socio-emotional development), Timmers-Huigens (strategies of ordering experience), and Fowler (stages of faith) to frame an explanation of how people with ID perceive and experience death. This ranges from hardly any understanding (among persons with profound ID) to a clear realization (among persons with mild ID) of death. Within this framework, the authors offer suggestions and tools for counselors that can be used to help people with ID to manage grief, contingent on their degree of emotional-cognitive-social development (e.g., offering closeness and physical contact, using specific rituals, making use of stories and photographs, and allowing participation in farewell rituals). [source]