H.P. Meininger

Perspectives of Employees with Intellectual Disabilities on Themes Relevant to Their Job Satisfaction. An Explorative Study using Photovoice

BACKGROUND This study explored the perspectives of people with intellectual disabilities on themes relevant to their job satisfaction in integrated and sheltered employment. METHOD The photovoice method was used. Nine participants with moderate to mild intellectual disabilities, working in integrated and sheltered employment, took pictures of aspects related to their job satisfaction. Each participant was subsequently interviewed about his/her pictures. Interview transcripts were content analysed to distinguish themes. RESULTS Nine themes were found: the nature of the work itself, working conditions, experienced job demands, social relations at work, received support, perceived autonomy, opportunities for using competencies, opportunities for growth and development and meaningfulness. All themes were applicable in integrated and sheltered employment. CONCLUSIONS From the perspective of people with intellectual disabilities, various themes relate to their job satisfaction, either in positive or negative ways. Photovoice appeared to be a valuable approach, facilitating participants in expressing their views and providing in-depth information.

The Order of Disturbance: Theological Reflections on Strangeness and Strangers, and the Inclusion of Persons with Intellectual Disabilities in Faith Communities

ABSTRACT In churches and faith communities, the presence of persons with intellectual disabilities is frequently experienced as a disturbance of familiar patterns of behavior and interaction. This disturbance is not only rooted in historical and cultural informed mechanisms of exclusion. From a philosophical perspective, it can be characterized as a destabilizing of certainties regarding the place, the group, and the identity in which we live. In Christian theology, this destabilization of group and personal identity is the central theme in commands, stories, and reflections about the position of strangers. Both philosophical and theological reflections point to views of accessibility and hospitality that are based on a symbolic remembering of ‘being a stranger’. This remembrance aims at a learning process in which disturbance of the familiar is not only a consequence of the presence of the stranger but at the same time precondition for true hospitality. Therefore, churches and faith communities should recognize that disturbance by the presence of persons with intellectual disabilities brings its own order. In this sense these views transcend prevailing views of inclusion.

Authenticity in Community

ABSTRACT Care and support for persons with intellectual disabilities are based upon a normative anthropology, an image of man which structures professional care practices. The normative anthropology of contemporary care practices is closely related to the dominating concept of the autonomous individual. The concept of the autonomous individualas well as its relational alternative-has an exclusive character and is derived from an intellectualistic and substantialist interpretation of being human. Therefore, this concept cannot serve as a moral ground for care for persons with intellectual disabilities. Although sources of this interpretation can be found in mainstream western theological and philosophical traditions, in early and in modern Christian theological traditions, traces can also be found of an ‘inclusive anthropology.’ This inclusive anthropology offers important clues for a moral view of care and support for persons with intellectual disabilities. In this normative framework the emphasis is on authenticity and community. As a consequence, care and support for persons with intellectual disabilities are considered to be processes of continuing interpretation in which the development of particular virtues, skills and attitudes of professional caregivers plays a decisive role. [Article copies available for a fee from The Haworth Document Delivery Service:

Social inclusion in the neighbourhood and the professional role identity of group home staff members: views and experiences of staff regarding neighbourhood social inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities

ABSTRACT During the last decades, people with intellectual disabilities have moved to regular neighbourhoods and policies have incorporated goals related to social inclusion. However, people with intellectual disabilities are still experiencing social isolation. We investigated the role of group home staff members, on the assumption that neighbourhood social inclusion cannot be considered a standard element of their professional role identity. The aim of our study was to gain insight into the individual perceptions of staff and the institutional environment in relation to staff’s professional role identity in dealing with neighbourhood social inclusion. We conducted semi-structured group interviews with staff from nine group homes in three neighbourhoods in the Netherlands. Our analysis yielded five themes: 1) staff perceptions of residents’ neighbourhood contacts: positive and negative experiences; 2) staff perceptions of residents’ needs and capabilities; 3) staff perceptions of neighbours and neighbourhood; 4) staff perceived role in social inclusion in the neighbourhood; and 5) staff perceived role of service provider. Our study showed that individual perceptions of a professional role identity primarily focused on care tasks, and the (lack of) experienced support from service providers hinders staff in creating opportunities for social inclusion in the neighbourhood. To enhance social inclusion in the neighbourhood we recommend service providers invest in supporting staff in acquiring the necessary skills.

Neighbourhood social inclusion from the perspective of people with intellectual disabilities: Relevant themes identified with the use of photovoice

BACKGROUND Earlier studies show that to gain more understanding of the concept of social inclusion, the views and experiences of people with intellectual disabilities are needed. The aim of this study was to investigate their perspective on neighbourhood social inclusion from an ecological point of view. METHOD We carried out a photovoice study with 18 people with intellectual disabilities in three neighbourhoods in the Netherlands. Participants took photographs in their neighbourhood they considered relevant, and these photographs were discussed during an interview. RESULTS Six themes emerged from qualitative analysis: attractiveness of the neighbourhood, social contacts in the neighbourhood, activities in the neighbourhood, social roles in the neighbourhood, independence and public familiarity. CONCLUSIONS As regards neighbourhood social inclusion, participants were often focused on small and informal activities and situations. Public familiarity proved very important. Framing the concept of neighbourhood social inclusion within an ecological approach may help to better understand processes of social inclusion.

Job satisfaction of people with intellectual disabilities: the role of basic psychological need fulfillment and workplace participation

Abstract Purpose: Knowledge on what contributes to job satisfaction of people with intellectual disabilities is limited. Using self-determination theory, we investigated whether fulfillment of basic psychological needs (i.e., autonomy, relatedness, competence) affected job satisfaction, and explored associations between workplace participation, need fulfillment and job satisfaction. Method: A total of 117 persons with intellectual disabilities, recruited from a Dutch care organization, were interviewed on need fulfillment at work and job satisfaction. Data on workplace participation was obtained from staff. Questionnaires were based on well-established instruments. Results: Basic psychological need fulfillment predicted higher levels of job satisfaction. Level of workplace participation was not associated with need fulfillment or job satisfaction. Conclusions: Allowing workers with intellectual disabilities to act with a sense of volition, feel effective, able to meet challenges, and connected to others is essential and contributes to job satisfaction. It is needed to pay attention to this, both in selection and design of workplaces and in support style. Implications for rehabilitation Knowledge on factors that contribute to job satisfaction is necessary to improve employment situations and employment success of people with intellectual disabilities. In order to achieve job satisfaction, it is essential that workplaces allow for fulfillment of the basic psychological needs for autonomy, relatedness, and competence of people with intellectual disabilities. People with intellectual disabilities are able to report on their needs and satisfaction, and it is important that their own perspective is taken into account in decisions regarding their employment situation.

Job satisfaction of people with intellectual disability: Associations with job characteristics and personality

To obtain an understanding of factors associated with job satisfaction of people with intellectual disability (ID), this study investigates the associations of job satisfaction with job characteristics (i.e., job demands, job resources) and personality, using the job demands-resources model. Data were gathered from 117 people and their employment support workers, using structured questionnaires adapted from well-established instruments. Job resources and age were positively associated with job satisfaction. Job demands and personality showed no significant direct associations with job satisfaction. Moderation analyses showed that for people with ID with high conscientiousness, enhanced job demands were associated with reduced job satisfaction, which was not the case for those with low conscientiousness. This study emphasizes the importance of job design.

De vreemdeling als leraar: de bijdrage van mensen met een verstandelijke handicap aan leerprocessen in de gemeente

Determining the number of sources in a received wave field is a well-known and a well-investigated problem. In this problem, the number of sources impinging on an array of sensors is to be estimated. The common approach for solving this problem is to use an information theoretic criterion like the minimum description length (MDL) or the Akaike information criterion. Under the assumption that the transmitted signals are Gaussian, the MDL estimator takes both a simple and an intuitive form. Therefore this estimator is commonly used even when the signals are known to be non-Gaussian communication signals. However, its ability to resolve signals (resolution capacity) is limited by the number of sensors minus one. In this paper, we study the MDL estimator that is based on the correct, non-Gaussian signal distribution of digital signals. We show that this approach leads to both improved performance and improved resolution capacity, that is, the number of signals that can be detected by the resulting MDL processor is larger than the number of array sensors. In addition, a novel asymptotic performance analysis, which can be used to predict the performance of the MDL estimator analytically, is presented. Simulation results support the theoretical conclusions.