Journal of Intellectual Disability - Diagnosis and Treatment

Defining Developmental Regression in Rare Neurodevelopmental Disorders of Genetic Etiology: A Scoping Review

Joost Kummeling — 2024-09-20

Background: Some genetic neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) are linked to a loss of acquired abilities. No universal term or severity measure exists for this phenomenon. This scoping review aims further to define developmental regression in NDDs of genetic etiology.

Method: We used the PRISMA checklist and searched PubMed, medRxiv, and Google Scholar for developmental regression literature. After data extraction, qualitative (e.g., assessment methods) and quantitative (e.g., mentioned NDDs) data were analyzed.

Results: A total of 59 relevant articles from 2074 unique records were identified, associating 18 NDDs of genetic etiology with developmental regression. Multiple terms (e.g., loss of skills, deterioration) and definitions were used across syndromes.

Conclusions: A uniform definition of developmental regression was formulated based on literature diversity and NDD heterogeneity. The study also offers guidance on identifying and monitoring developmental regression and its underlying causes.

Which Skills Do Students with Intellectual Disabilities Need for Pursuing Leisure Activities After Graduation? A Survey among Vocational Rehabilitation Practitioners in Japan

Yukiya Yamada — 2024-09-20

Background: Leisure activities contribute to the quality of life and continuation of employment for individuals with disabilities. However, education related to leisure activities is inadequate in special needs schools in Japan.

Purpose: This study aimed to clarify which components of leisure guidance are considered important by vocational rehabilitation practitioners in Japan.

Methods: An online survey was conducted in 337 branches of the Support Center for Employment and Livelihood of Persons with Disabilities in Japan.

Results: Employment support practitioners recognized the importance of teaching students how to use their leisure time outside of working hours and helping them cultivate skills necessary to engage in leisure activities, regardless of whether they were still in school or had already graduated. In school, importance was placed on providing activities aimed at expanding leisure opportunities after graduation. For the period after graduation, the emphasis shifted to acquiring specific abilities necessary for engaging in leisure activities with other people, such as money management and securing means of transportation.

Conclusion: This study provides a direction for optimizing the quality of leisure guidance for individuals with special needs. The findings can help improve teaching practices in special needs schools and enhance the effectiveness of transition support for students with disabilities.

Impact Assessment of Counselling on Family of Children with Intellectual Disability in Cross River State, Nigeria

Aderibigbe Samson Akinwumi — 2024-09-20

This study examined the impact of counseling on the families of children with intellectual disability (ID) in Cross River State, Nigeria. Three research questions were generated to guide the study while the Ex-post-Facto research design was adopted. A purposive sampling technique was used, and 100 parents of children with ID were selected from the Association for Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities of Nigeria (AIDDN), Cross River State Chapter. These parents have been exposed to psychodynamic counseling in the past. The instrument used for data collection was a structured questionnaire titled “Impact of Counseling on Parents of Children with ID (ICPCID)”. The instrument was validated by three experts, two in special education and one in measurement and evaluation. The reliability coefficient of 0.88 was obtained using Cronbach Alpha. The data collected were analyzed using simple percentages, frequencies, and mean scores. The findings revealed, among others, that counseling has a higher impact on the information needs of parents of children with ID. Counseling has a significant positive impact on the emotional stability of parents of children with ID. Counseling has a significant positive impact on stabilizing families of children with ID. Based on the findings, it was recommended, among others, that the Cross River State Government should establish a department of guidance and counseling under the State Ministry of Education that regularly caters for the counseling needs of parents of children with ID in the state.

Prompt Response, Cues-Pause-Point Therapies and Gender on Management of Echolalia among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Udeme Samuel Jacob — 2024-09-20

The repetitive and delayed nature of echolalia can hinder the development of adaptive behaviors and impact the ability to establish rapport with others. This study investigated the effects of prompt response and cues-pause-point therapies on the management of echolalia among children with autism spectrum disorder. A pre-test, post-test, and control group of a 3x2 factorial matrix of quasi-experimental research design was used to assess the effect of the therapies on children with autism spectrum disorder in Ibadan, Nigeria. 90children with autism spectrum disorder were purposively selected using Diagnostic Statistical Manual- V (DSM-V) for ASD (0.70), Gilliam Autism Rating Scale/Third Edition (GARS-3) (in terms of sensitivity= 0.97, ROU/AUC= 0.93). In contrast, the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) (0.90) was used for the pretest and posttest to ascertain the presence of echolalia. Participants were assigned to one of three groups: prompt response, cues-pause-point therapies, or control (N = 90, male = 44, female = 46, age range = 3 –5 years old). Twenty-four prompt response and cues-pause-point therapy were held for each experimental group. The findings showed that the main effect of treatment (prompt response and cues-pause-point therapies) (F _{(2; 72)}= 45.519, p<.05, ƞ² = .558) on the management of echolalia among children with autism was significant, premised on this, the null hypothesis was rejected. The post hoc estimated marginal mean indicates that prompt response treatment was higher than cues-pause-point therapy; however, this difference was statistically significant. The study findings indicated that the impact of gender on managing echolalia in individuals with ASD was not statistically significant. Based on the findings, it is recommended that speech therapists, caregivers, and parents of children with autism spectrum disorder should seek alternative therapy that will take into cognizance other underlying factors associated with the presence of echolalia.

Inclusive Higher Education in Kyrgyzstan for People with Physical and Intellectual Disabilities

Gulmira Karabalaeva — 2024-09-20

Considering the importance of education as a socio-cultural human right, the issue of implementation of inclusive higher education for persons with disabilities is relevant, determined by a set of legal, socio-pedagogical, technical, and financial problems. The study aims to investigate specific organizational and pedagogical factors facilitating the implementation of an inclusive higher education model in the Kyrgyz Republic. The study employed methods that included questionnaires of the subjects of the educational process and statistical analysis of the data obtained in the course of the questionnaire. Including the understanding of inclusion, the role of educational institutions, and effective methodologies for implementing inclusive practices in the educational process, key theoretical aspects were identified as a result of the analysis of modern theoretical concepts and methodological approaches to inclusive higher education.

Furthermore, challenges such as the lack of adaptive infrastructure required for students with disabilities, as well as the insufficient preparation of teaching staff to work with the diverse needs of students, were highlighted. The study also covered the social and legal aspects of inclusive higher education in Kyrgyzstan. The legislative framework regulating the rights of students with disabilities was analyzed, and public support and awareness of inclusion in education were assessed. Based on the findings, specific recommendations and strategies were developed to improve inclusive higher education in Kyrgyzstan. These recommendations cover various areas, including educational programs, the training of educators, the creation of accessible infrastructure, and the development of social support programs. The practical relevance of this work lies in the possibility of implementing the recommendations and strategies proposed in this work to improve inclusive higher education in Kyrgyzstan, which contributes to a more accessible and equitable educational environment for all students.

Parental Factors Related to COVID-19 Prevention Behavior in Children with Intellectual Disability: Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling

Zumrotul Chairijah — 2024-09-20

Efforts to prevent COVID-19 in children with intellectual disability require the role of parents. Even though the vaccine has been implemented, the most important effort is to implement health protocols. Implementing health protocols cannot be separated from knowledge, attitudes, intentions, subjective norms, and social support from parents. This research aims to determine the influence of knowledge, attitudes, intentions, subjective norms, and social support on the COVID-19 prevention behavior of parents of children with intellectual disability. This type of research is descriptive correlational research, and the developed model is validated using the partial least squares structural equality modeling (PLS-SEM) approach based on data collected from 100 parents of children with intellectual disabilities taken using purposive sampling at Semarang Municipal Special Schools.The study results show that parental characteristics, namely education, influence attitudes, which can ultimately affect parental intentions. Parental education also affects social norms, namely social support and subjective norms, which can determine COVID-19 prevention behavior. Parental education is a priority in public health strategies because it can directly shape attitudes, intentions, and social norms that can improve the health of children with intellectual disabilities. Health programs and education for parents must be focused and carried out consistently and continuously.

Empowering Inclusion of Children with Disabilities: Administrative and Leadership Requirements in Kindergarten Stage

Muteb Alhammadi — 2024-09-27

Background: Inclusion of children with disabilities in the kindergarten stage is crucial not only from humanitarian and legal standpoints but also from the standpoint of creating an inclusive society of harmonious coexistence with those with disabilities in the work environment and in social and familial contexts.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the degree of availability of administrative and leadership requirements for including children with disabilities in the kindergarten stage, considering the viewpoints of special education teachers and kindergarten teachers and the differences in their responses based on their specialization and years of experience.

Methods: A self-administered questionnaire survey on 103 kindergarten teachers in Riyadh was used.

Results: Results revealed (1) a moderate degree of availability of administrative and leadership requirements for inclusion of children with disabilities in the kindergarten stage; (2) higher ranking of items indicating school administrations’ awareness of dissemination of an inclusive culture than those indicating their efforts to provide the material and human resources necessary for the inclusion processes; (3) teachers’ specialization was not statistically significant but years of experience was significant in comprehending administrative efforts.

Conclusion: the study provided a clear vision of the administrative and leadership requirements for the inclusion of children with disabilities in the kindergarten stage from their teachers' point of view and the variables that may affect the degree of availability of these requirements.