This checklist helps parents and caregivers identify all the signs that indicate the level of tension in people with severe to profound intellectual disabilities and how best to respond.
Emotion regulation in people with severe intellectual disabilities
Coping with emotions is not easy for people with severe intellectual disabilities. They need the support of their parents and caregivers. Managing emotions effectively can contribute to a person’s well-being. However, the signals used by people with severe intellectual disabilities to express emotions aren’t always clear. These signals can be subtle or different from what we’re used to. This makes it difficult to recognize, understand, and respond appropriately to these signals. Therefore, it was investigated how parents and caregivers can be supported in this regard.
The research
First, the Attune & Stimulate-checklist (A&S Checklist) was developed and tested. This tool is designed to help parents and caregivers become more sensitive to their child’s or client’s emotional cues and respond to them more effectively. The research showed that caregivers who used the A&S Checklist were more sensitive to cues, more responsive, and more welcoming in their interactions with the client than caregivers who did not. The person with a disability displayed more positive emotion and was more attentive to the interaction when caregivers used the A&S Checklist.
The Attune & Stimulate app
Then, an app based on the A&S checklist was created, making the tool easily accessible to everyone. Parents and caregivers tested the Attune & Stimulate app to ensure they could use it effectively in their daily lives. The app received generally positive reviews, but there were still areas for improvement. These improvements were incorporated into the app, ensuring it can be used effectively by everyone, everywhere.
For more information, see Attune & Stimulate-checklist - Affect-us.