Page 89 - Social networks of people with mild intellectual disabilities: characteristics and interventions

better contact with them (e.g. better contact with brother, sister, or family in general, patch up quarrels in the family, more depth in relationships) instead of more frequent contact with them. In the words of Miriam, diagnosed with ASD, mother of three children, two also diagnosed with ASD:
More understanding and respect from my parents ... I usually have a bad connection with my family. They do not understand me at all, but neither do they understand my children. They have too little knowledge of autism.
Table 6 Wishes with respect to the social network (%) of the ID, ASD and REF groups compared
Wishes total network More frequent contact Better contact Expanded network Improved social skills Other wishes
Wishes Family
More frequent contact Better contact Expanded network Improved social skills Other wishes
Wishes Acquaintances More frequent contact Better contact Expanded network Improved social skills Other wishes
Wishes Professionals More frequent contact Better contact Expanded network Improved social skills Other wishes
(n= 16) 18.8 37.5
6.2 25.0 12.5 (n= 20) 50.0 15.0
5.0 10.0 20.0 (n= 18) 22.2 44.4
0.0 27.8 5.6
(n= 15) 26.7 40.0
6.7
0.0 26.7
(n= 23)
8.7 33.3
21.7
21.7 12.1 30.4 9.1 17.4 24.2
Comparison of Social Networks
ID
ASD
REF
χ2
p
(n= 33) 10.878 .197
21.2 4
(n= 20)
15.0 37.9 60.0 17.2
0.0 3.4 15.0 10.3 10.0 31.0
15.550 .027
15.687 .034
8.624 .140
(n= 20)
10.0 36.4 15.0 13.6 20.0 9.1 20.0 13.6 35.0 27.3
(n= 18) 0.0
44.4 0.0 0.0 55.6
(n= 5) 20.0 40.0
0.0
0.0 40.0
(n= 29)
(n= 22)
Second, also regarding their acquaintances, participants with ID had other wishes than participants with ASD or the REF group; they wished better contact (e.g. having similar interests, wanting more pleasant contact and/or being taken more seriously) with their acquaintances instead of other wishes
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