A Selective Review of Milieu Interventions for Adults with Severe Intellectual Disabilities

Purpose of Review This paper considers milieu training (MT) as a communication treatment for adults with severe intellectual disabilities. The paper seeks the following answers: (1) What is MT ? (2) How does current research inform the MT knowledge base? and (3) Is MT a viable treatment option for adults with severe intellectual disabilities challenged by communication impairments? Recent Findings Research describes MT as a viable treatment option for young children with communication and language impairments. Specifically, MT has been applied with fidelity to several populations demonstrating emergent communication and language disabilities. The literature, however, suggests that recommendations regarding optimal treatment dosage remain unclear. Limited findings identify MT as a potential treatment for adults with a severe disability who present limited communicative abilities. Summary MT is an established treatment for communication impairment in young children with language disabilities and has potential applications for adults with severe intellectual disabilities. Future research should focus on efficacy studies designed to examine MT with this population.