How do people with learning disabilities talk about professionals and organizations? Discourse on support practices for independent living

Abstract

The aims of the research presented here are two-fold: to determine the decision-making role that people with learning disabilities award organizations and professionals offering support for independent living; and to assess the extent to which the dominant discourses of people with learning disabilities incorporate individual or social approaches. Ten focus groups were held with self-advocacy groups of people with learning disabilities. The critical discourse analysis approach was used to analyse the transcripts. The analysis shows that the discourse of people with learning disabilities tends to legitimize the role of organizations and professionals as agents in making decisions regarding their own lives. The study highlights the need to make use of these discourses to work together with people with learning disabilities to promote the exercising of their rights in decision-making and taking control of their lives.

Keywords:

• Supported living
• power relationships
• learning disabilities
• critical discourse analysis
• support staff

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Funding

This study was supported by Secretaría de Estado de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (MINECO) under Grant EDU2014-55460-R.