Page 17 - Social networks of people with mild intellectual disabilities: characteristics and interventions

General Introduction
and small steps (van Nieuwenhuijzen, Orobio de Castro, & Matthys, 2006). Approximately 2.2 million people have an IQ between 70 and 85, but it is difficult 1 to say how many of them have additional problems in adaptive behaviour
(Woittiez, et al., 2015). However, the number of people receiving support from
care organizations is known. In 2011 almost 166,000 people with ID received
care funded by the AWBZ, of whom 46% required care in their home setting
(i.e. community based care) (Ras et al., 2013). Over 72,000 people had mild
ID (IQ 50-69) and almost 37,000 people had a borderline disability (IQ 70-85)
(Ras et al., 2013). The number of people applying for care rose between 2007
and 2011. For people with mild ID there was a rise of 7% and for people with
borderline disability of 15% (Ras et al., 2013). According to Woittiez et al. (2014)
changes in the care system and social developments have led to this increase
in demand for care. Changes in the care system include greater access to care,
the growing availability of care and early assessments. Social developments
include today’s more complex modern society, the growing expectation that
people with ID will play a full part in society and a lack of adequate support
networks (Woittiez, et al., 2014). It is not possible to change the complexity
of modern society, but social networks can be altered and they are crucial in
helping people with mild to borderline ID to cope with the challenges of living
more integrated in society. Such alterations to their social network can enhance
people’s well-being. Therefore this thesis will focus on the social networks
of people with mild to borderline ID, living in the community. What are the characteristics of their networks and how can these networks be enhanced
using network interventions? In the next section previous research on these
themes is presented.
1.5 Social networks of people with intellectual disabilities and network interventions
A social network can be defined as all those people with whom someone maintains direct, permanent and important links (Baars, 1994). Studies focusing on the social networks of people with ID have examined the size, composition and amount of perceived support using various methods such as the Social Network Guide (Forrester-Jones et al., 2006), the Social Network Map (Robertson et al., 2001; Tracy & Abell, 1994), the Support Interview Guide
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