Persons with Moderate and Severe Intellectual Disabilities – the Specific Needs of Adulthood

People with intellectual disabilities (ID) are perceived as helpless, dependent, and unable to fulfil social roles assigned to the so-called able-bodied1 people. As a consequence, the entrance of the said group into adulthood is impeded and delayed. It is not for the lack of will on the part of the subject or as a consequence of intellectual disability, but rather as a result of the existing social situations which create barriers hindering the fulfilment of needs. A person with ID has a right to have needs and fulfil them. Among them there are specific needs – shaped by individual human characteristics, experiences, and development changes – which are related to the particular stage of the individual’s development. The aim of this research was to diagnose the specific needs of adults with intellectual disabilities at a moderate and severe level, while the main research problem consists of the following questions: what are the specific needs of adults with intellectual disabilities at a significant level (moderate and severe) between the ages of 18 and 35? Which of the indicated needs are being met by the research participants? The research was conducted by employing a quantitative strategy, using the author´s self-designed survey questionnaire. 96 people with intellectual disabilities were surveyed – the participants of the occupational therapy workshop (OTW). An analysis was conducted on the needs which, according to Erikson, most commonly manifest in adulthood (between the ages of 18 and 35). The test results reveal the actual state of their occurrence and fulfilment.