Lived experiences of young adults with intellectual disabilities: Exploring their social inclusion pathways

Abstract

This study was carried out to develop a more in-depth understanding of the experience of Social Inclusion among young adults with intellectual disabilities living in the community and attending formal programs. To date, this type of research on people's individual experiences and their interpretation is lacking, especially in the Latvian context- the country is undertaking significant reforms to promote the inclusion of people with disabilities in society. This research is based on the recognition of Social Inclusion as an essentially relative and subjective phenomenon that occurs as an interaction and evolving process between spending time in activities that create meaningful participation, having meaningful interpersonal relationships, and a sense of belonging. The results of the study were obtained by interviewing ten young adults about their experiences of Social Inclusion and were analyzed by applying Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The themes that emerged from the participants’ narratives show that despite living in the community and receiving community-based services, their social inclusion mainly occurred in segregated settings, as their interactions with mainstream society were highly limited. Nevertheless, formal programs served as Social Inclusion havens because they allowed participants to spend their time in diverse and exciting activities, were a place for socialization and meeting friends, and gave participants a strong sense of belonging.