Residential placement and quality of life for adults with severe autism spectrum disorders and severe-to-profound intellectual disabilities
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the relationship between some main characteristics of different living arrangements and the quality of life (QoL) of their users with severe intellectual disability and low-functioning autism spectrum disorders.
Design/methodology/approach
Study participants were assessed for ASD severity through the Childhood Autism Rating Scale or the Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales (VABS): for behavioral problems with the aberrant behavior checklist (ABC); for perception of efficacy and satisfaction with care, through an adapted Visual Analogue Scale; and for QoL with the QoL inventory in residential environments (validated in French as Inventaire de la Qualité de Vie en Milieu Résidentiel). Because the goal was to define a “residential profile (RP),” the authors evaluated each participating residence with the Working Methods Scale and the questionnaire on residential parameters.
Findings
The RP allowed for the classification of the residences into three clusters. The authors found no clear relationship between QoL and the RP clusters, but the authors found the RP clusters to be significantly correlated with ABC factors F1 (irritability, agitation, crying) and F2 (lethargy, social withdrawal), and VABS scores for living, socialization, and motor skills.
Originality/value
RPs were more strongly correlated with ABC items and the ability to cope with everyday life than with QoL. The authors hypothesize that RP is correlated with both aberrant behavior and the autonomy of residents and that QoL remains relatively stable. Therefore, RP is correlated with the status of the residents; however, this appears not to be correlated with their QoL.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the following residences for their participation in this study: Résidence de Thonex (Thonex, Switzerland), Résidence de La Combe (Collonge-Bellerive, Switzerland), Centre Médico-Éducatif La Castalie (Monthex, Switzerland), Fondation Aigues-Vertes (Bernex, Switzerland), Fondation John Bost, pavillon Patmos, Fondation John Bost pavillon Pénuel, Fondation John Bost pavillon Bourg d’Abren, Fondation John Bost pavillon L’Attente, Fondation John Bost pavillon L’Annet Glénan, Fondation John Bost pavillon Bellevue (La Force, France), Fondation Les Jalons (Villeneuve, Switzerland), Fondation Ensemble Clairefontaine (Chêne-Bourg, Switzerland), Fondation Ensemble L’Essarde (Genthod, Switzerland), Institution L’Espérance (Etoi, Switzerland), Fondation pour Handicapés Le Chaf (Farciennes, Belgium), Le Village n.1 Reine Fabiola (Wauthier-Braine, Belgium), and la Fondation pour la Recherche en faveur des Handicapés (FRH; Nyon, Switzerland).
Citation
Galli Carminati, G., Carminati, F., Lehotkay, R., Lorincz, E.N., Subirade-Jacopit, V., Rondini, E. and Bertelli, M.O. (2017), "Residential placement and quality of life for adults with severe autism spectrum disorders and severe-to-profound intellectual disabilities", Advances in Autism, Vol. 3 No. 4, pp. 187-205. https://doi.org/10.1108/AIA-01-2017-0001
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2017, Emerald Publishing Limited