Page 68 - Social networks of people with mild intellectual disabilities: characteristics and interventions

Chapter 3
intimate relationship with a partner is a strong predictor of well-being (Dolan, Peasgood, & White, 2008), in particular a ‘good marriage’ (Gove, Hughes, & Briggs Style, 1983) or a ‘happy relationship’ (Kamp Dush & Amato, 2005). Also other factors which can contribute to SWB, such as employment (Dolan et al., 2008) should be investigated for people with ID. Finally, reciprocity (e.g. mutual feelings and mutual support) is also recommended as a topic for future studies because it is a key factor for the maintenance of supportive relationships over time (Biegel, Tracy, & Corvo, 1994; Ferlander, 2007; Lunsky, 2006).
A supportive social network is crucial for social inclusion. Support staff can enhance social inclusion (e.g. Abbott & McConkey, 2006) with interventions aimed at strengthening and expanding the social networks of clients (e.g. van Asselt-Goverts, Embregts, Hendriks, & Frielink, 2014). To tailor interventions to the strengths and weaknesses of the individual social network of a client, it is recommended that the social networks be systematically mapped using an instrument like the MSNA (Baars, 1994) but then adapted for use with people with ID (van Asselt-Goverts et al., 2012, 2013). Use of an instrument to measure satisfaction and wishes is also recommended. Only with the gathering of such information can interventions be tailored to the needs and wishes of the persons with ID themselves. In the present study, people with mild ID clearly expressed a wish to strengthen the existing ties in their social networks with – for example – more frequent and/or better contact. Expansion of the social network was not a major desire. This means that in addition to getting a client involved in leisure time activities and looking for volunteers to expand the client’s social network, other interventions are needed to strengthen the ties which already exist. Support staff can be key agents in stimulating contact with the existing social network by stimulating the client to give someone in the network a call, call upon network members more frequently when help is needed and discuss any misunderstandings or problems which arise (van Asselt-Goverts et al., 2014). Of course the opinions and wishes of the clients themselves should guide the chosen intervention.
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