A Systemic Approach to Social Skills Training for Adults with Intellectual Disability: An Irish Perspective

Abstract

This study focuses on the design, implementation and evaluation of a Social Skills Training (SST) programme for adults with Intellectual Disability (ID) through a model of consultation that is frequently used by school psychologists. An SST manual of 230-pages and separate workbook were developed and made accessible at a service through a consultative process with staff and clients. The lead researcher/consultant and facilitator/main consultee co-delivered six pilot sessions with a group of adults who present with ID and co-associated conditions. Standardised assessment tools were made accessible for clients and piloted with the SST group. The preventive and remedial goals of consultation were examined. Emphasis was placed on giving voice to the clients themselves as well as members of service-staff at different stages of the consultation. Following intervention, results showed moderate generalisation of clients' social skills to the home-setting, although nine out of ten families acknowledged subtle gains made. Process-evaluation measures used with clients informed the SST programme design and the pacing of sessions. There was improvement to the service at a systemic-level in relation to SST with the empowerment of consultee personnel within the service to continue the SST intervention. Service-staff reported high levels of treatment acceptability and satisfaction with the consultation-service. Staff expressed the intention to implement the programme under a training module in the adult training and employment centres at the service. Results support the hypothesis that consultation represents an effective model of service-delivery when applied to a service for ID.