Karen McKenzie

Research suggests that many adults with an intellectual disability continue to be unidentified. Screening tools can help increase identification. A digital version of the Learning Disability Screening Questionnaire (LDSQ) was developed to help improve access to it. This study explored some of the characteristics of those using the digital LDSQ in the UK and those being screened by it. Routinely collected, anonymous data relating to 2016 adults was analysed to address the above aims. We found that 66.5% of users were members of the general public, of whom 77.6% were completing the LDSQ about themselves, while 29.3% were professionals. Professionals were significantly more likely than general public users to screen people with lower levels of adaptive skills, who were older, who had received support at school and were indicated by the LDSQ as likely to have an intellectual disability. In conclusion, the digital LDSQ is being accessed by both the general public and professionals. The latter appear to screen those with greater support needs. Implications for practice are discussed.

The COVID-19 restrictions had a significant impact on higher education in the UK, with the majority of teaching moving to online delivery. We conducted semi-structured interviews with 16 students who were studying at universities across the United Kingdom in order to explore student experiences of digital teaching in the wider context of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the results. Two key themes with associated themes were identified. The first theme explored students’ experiences of the move to e-learning, the support that was offered, and the perceived impact on their academic performance. The second theme explored the wider impact on students, in relation to opportunities for work experience, social relationships, future prospects, and mental health. The results illustrated that the sudden move to online learning left many students feeling disengaged from their learning; worried about their future prospects, socially isolated and experiencing poorer mental health. Implications for the provision of online education are discussed

Research suggests that emotional intelligence is important for relationship satisfaction. Some people face challenges with both romantic relationships and aspects of emotional intelligence, for example, autistic people. There has, however, been very limited research into these factors with non-clinical participants with varying levels of autistic like traits. This research aimed to investigate the extent to which both general emotional intelligence (EI) and the specific component of emotion recognition mediated the relationship between autistic-like traits and satisfaction with romantic relationships. A correlational design, with a general population sample, was used in two studies (study 1, n = 139; study 2, n = 183). The results of our studies found that higher emotional intelligence and emotion recognition were associated with higher relationship satisfaction and that those with higher numbers of autistic like traits had lower emotional intelligence and emotion recognition scores. Emotional intelligence, but not emotion recognition, mediated the relationship between autistic like traits and relationship satisfaction. The research provides novel insights into how emotional intelligence and autistic-like traits influence romantic relationship satisfaction and has implications for potential interventions.

Homelessness is a worldwide health inequality. People with intellectual disability represent a relatively high proportion of homeless people, and for many their intellectual disability is not recognised. The study intended to obtain stakeholder views about how intellectual disability screening can be integrated into the support pathway for people who are homeless. A qualitative approach was taken using Thematic Analysis. Nine staff, who work with homeless people or are involved in the intellectual disability assessment pathway, were interviewed. Analysis produced three themes, each containing two subthemes. ‘Current routes to support’ investigates experiences of the existing pathway; ‘Labels’, explores views about making intellectual disability visible; ‘Creating a pathway,’ outlines ideas about developing and implementing a screening pathway between services. The results help inform how current practices of identifying people with intellectual disability might be improved and the role of screening in this. These results, when combined with other research around screening tools, provide insight into how intellectual disability screening can be integrated within services.

Screening tools can help with the identification of intellectual disability, but little is known about who uses them. This study analysed anonymous information from 2691 users of an evidence-based, online, intellectual disability screening questionnaire for children and adolescents (CAIDS-Q) to explore the characteristics of the users and of those being screened. The users were split almost equally between parents/family members (48.6%) and professionals (49.9%), with the majority (63.8%) of the latter group being health staff. Significant differences in the characteristics of the children being screened were found, according to whether the user was a parent/family member or a professional, with the overall pattern suggesting that professionals screened children with greater complexity of needs, but about whom less was known. The screened children had a range of areas of difficulties that are common to those with intellectual disability. Implications for practice are discussed.

Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic prompted an increase in the use of online versions of developmental assessment and screening tools. It is important to determine whether putting assessments and screening tools online influences their accuracy. Aim To examine some of the psychometric properties of the online version of the Learning Disability Screening Questionnaire (LDSQ) in a large general population sample. Method Pre-existing anonymous data, which had been automatically collected from 758 users of the online LDSQ, were analysed using quantitative methodology. Results Sensitivity values were above the recommended minimum value of 70% but somewhat lower than the sensitivity values found in validation studies which used the paper version of the LDSQ. Test-retest reliability was good. People with a false negative outcome were significantly more likely to have completed the LDSQ about themselves. The online LDSQ demonstrated good levels of accuracy when screening for intellectual disability among autistic people. Conclusion The psychometric properties of the online version of the LDSQ are broadly similar to those of the paper version. The online LDSQ may offer an accessible, quick and easy way to help reduce the number of people with intellectual disabilities who are ‘hidden’ from healthcare services.

Background Research suggests that people with intellectual disabilities are over-represented in homeless populations, but services may not recognise their intellectual disability. Aim To explore the short-term impact of screening with the Learning Disability Screening Questionnaire (LDSQ) on seven people known to a homeless service in England. These participants had been found to have intellectual and adaptive functioning in the intellectual disability range in a larger study of the use of the LDSQ in homeless services. Method The LDSQ impact questionnaire was used to evaluate participants’ views on the benefits and drawbacks of screening with the LDSQ. Changes in participants’ health status were also explored. Findings There appeared to be many benefits of using the LDSQ and few drawbacks. Six of the seven participants had been placed on the GP learning disability register following participation in the larger study, of whom four had received an annual health check and two had received new treatment. Conclusion Using the LDSQ in a homeless service appears to be beneficial for people with intellectual disabilities who are homeless and can lead to positive healthcare outcomes.

Background: Many children experience delayed or missed identification of an intellectual disability diagnosis, meaning that key opportunities for early educational intervention may be lost.Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were used to explore the views of teachers, parents, and clinicians (n = 22), about the use of the Child and Adolescent Intellectual Disability Screening Questionnaire (CAIDS‐Q) and what could improve screening and identification of intellectual disability in schools. Thematic analysis was used to identify relevant themes.Results: Three themes were identified: the need for, and role of, screening in the context of limited knowledge about intellectual disability; the impact of screening and subsequent identification of intellectual disability; and the context within which participants felt screening should take place in order to maximise its benefits.Conclusions: The results confirmed the importance and benefits of timely identification of children with an intellectual disability and the positive role that screening might play in this.

Aims: People with a learning disability are at increased risk of becoming homeless, but little is known about how learning disability is viewed by people accessing homeless services. This study aimed to obtain the views of people experiencing homelessness about learning disability, in the context of a project that was exploring how to increase identification of learning disability. Methods: A qualitative approach was used, and 19 adults were interviewed who were receiving support from homeless services in the North-East of England. Information from the interviews was analysed using thematic analysis. Results: Four themes were identified relating to understanding of learning disability, the role of identification, day-to-day challenges, and experiences of services. Conclusion: There is a need to: promote better understanding of learning disability; for early identification processes that involve the person in a meaningful way; and the provision of support that is non-stigmatising, practical and which addresses health concerns.