Factors predicting quality of life for people with intellectual disability: Results from the ANFFAS study in Italy^†

† This manuscript was accepted under the Guest Editorship of Roy Brown.

ABSTRACT

Background This study describes the sociodemographic, clinical, and functional characteristics of a representative sample of service users in Italy. The supports provided by formal agencies, natural networks, and actual levels of quality of life (QOL) were assessed.

Methods The participants were 1,285 individuals with intellectual and developmental disability served by 23 different services. The influence of availability of support strategies, environmental factors, client characteristics, personal desires and goals, and support needs on current QOL status was investigated using multiple regression.

Results QOL outcomes were significantly explained by support needs, client characteristics, personal goals and desires, and marginally by the presence of support strategies and environmental factors. Further, only a minor effect was found from support activities for general QOL outcomes.

Conclusions The results confirmed that the personal outcomes could be predicted providing support activities aligned to the specific personal needs and goals, confirming the importance of a person-centred planning process.

KEYWORDS:

• intellectual disability
• personal outcomes
• predictors
• quality of life
• support needs

Acknowledgements

Special acknowledgment to the ANFFAS association represented by the president Roberto Speziale, Emanuela Bertini, Antonio Caserta, and Roberta Speziale, and to all the clients who participated as respondents.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes

† This manuscript was accepted under the Guest Editorship of Roy Brown.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Italian Ministry for Labor and Social Policies under Grant Strumenti verso l’inclusione sociale: matrici ecologiche e progetto individuale di vita per adulti con disabilità intellettive e dello sviluppo, under law 383, 07.12.00, addressing lines 2013, project F.