Hear our voice
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Hear our voice: development of an intervention to improve social participation in older people with intellectual disabilities
IRAS ID
308159
Contact name
Gill Livingston
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
UCL Joint Research Office
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 5 months, 1 days
Research summary
Being socially isolated is thought to be common in people with intellectual disability (ID). Social isolation is linked to having difficulties with cognition, meaning abilities in language, memory, or learning for example. It is likely that these cognitive difficulties cause social isolation and some studies have also suggested that social isolation worsens cognitive function. It is therefore important to develop approaches to address social isolation in people with ID, as we do not currently have good ways to help with this.
The aim of this project is to investigate the nature and consequences of social isolation among people with ID, and what helps people increase social participation. The PhD student will recruit 20-25 adults with ID aged ≥50 from NHS services for photovoice workshops. Photovoice is an approach for finding out about peoples priorities by inviting them to take photographs on selected topics e.g. friends, family, community, neighbourhood. The PhD student will ask the people who participate in my study to take photos related to social participation e.g. friends, family, community, neighbourhood. When we meet in workshops, we will discuss these together. This will help me to understand their current social participation, and we will discuss what makes participating socially easier and what makes it harder.
The PhD student will later use the findings to design, together with others with experience in this area, an approach to increase social participation for people with ID, which can be tested in future.
REC name
London - Bromley Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
22/LO/0633
Date of REC Opinion
22 Sep 2022
REC opinion
Unfavourable Opinion