Date of Award

5-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Department

Education

College

College of Education and Social Sciences

First Advisor

Sheena Kauppila

Second Advisor

Cheryl Morgan

Third Advisor

Olivia Enders

Abstract

Seventeen percent of the total population of children are living with an intellectual / developmental disability (IDD), and while resources and therapeutic interventions are accessible during early childhood years, they often cease after turning 21 years old. As a result, many adults with IDD do not acquire the skills necessary to live independently and sustain employment or meaningful relationships, impacting their independence and quality of life. The purpose of this study is to understand how self-management training (in the form of indirect consultation) for adults with IDD influence independence and socially significant behavior in relation to quality of life. The research questions posed are (a) how does self-management training in an indirect consultation model change self-selected behavior for adults with IDD, (b) how does self-reported quality of life change after learning skills important for adults with IDD, and (c) what are the barriers to implementing an indirect consultation model?

The study used a multiple baseline across settings design to assess two behaviors for two adults with IDD attending the CoastalLIFE program. Behaviors were self-selected by the participants, and self-management training was conducted via an indirect consultation model to measure the efficacy of the intervention. Data were collected by the participants via self- reporting, with interobserver agreement data collected weekly to ensure accuracy in the measurement. Participants also completed a social validity questionnaire at the end of the study to provide feedback on the acceptability and importance of the procedures.

Results showed that both participants were able to acquire their self-selected target behaviors across the targeted settings. Timeliness was acquired with indirect consultation only, where setting boundaries needed supplemental in-vivo training. Both participants reported increases in quality of life, with mean ratings ranging from 3-5. Participants also noted the acceptability of the procedures, which supports the social validity of the findings. While there were many successes with the indirect consultation, there were many barriers noted including data collection, treatment fidelity, and a lack of in-vivo training that might be necessary for certain skills.

The results help to illustrate the potential efficacy of using an indirect model of consultation to assist adults with IDD in acquiring socially significant behavior change. While there were many challenges with execution, the findings help to demonstrate the need for ongoing studies within applied settings to build the research base for evidence-based interventions in natural contexts. Ongoing studies could help identify treatments that are both evidence-based and cost-effective to assist adults with IDD in developing independence. Future research should continue to evaluate low effort and cost-effective interventions within applied settings.

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