Individual characteristics associated with community integration of adults with intellectual disability

Background The purpose of this study was to identify individual characteristics associated with community integration of adults with an intellectual disability. Method A group of 37 males with high support needs, and who had previously lived in a large institution, participated in the study. Using proxy respondents, data were collected on three measures of community integration, and on the participants' adaptive and maladaptive functioning. Chronological age and years of institutionalisation were also examined for their associations with community integration. Results Level of daily living skills predicted life circumstances. There were no significant associations among the measures of community integration. Conclusions The examination of the relationships between participant characteristics and community integration produced similar conclusions to previous research. Only daily living skills scores were uniquely associated with variations in life circumstances. Further research is required to determine whether these findings will be replicated with other cohorts of participants.