Factors that influence quality of life in individuals with developmental disabilities: Adaptation of a rehabilitation model

This study was intended to further the understanding of quality of life in individuals with developmental disabilities in order to provide support for a model of rehabilitation which aims to maximize quality of life within this population. The influence of several factors on the quality of life of individuals with developmental disabilities was investigated in order to adapt a model of psychiatric rehabilitation developed by Corrigan and colleagues (Ciavarella et al., 2004; Corrigan et al., 1999) for use in developmental disabilities services. The impact of employment, leisure activities, coping, instrumental, and interpersonal skills, social support, and presence of depression, anxiety, and other psychiatric disorders, as well as age and gender, on four domains of quality of life in individuals with developmental disabilities (satisfaction, competence/productivity, empowerment/independence, social belonging/community integration) was investigated in order to provide support for the inclusion of these factors, and the interventions that positively impact them, in the model of rehabilitation. The results of this study generally support the use of this model, and this set of factors, in services that are provided to persons with developmental disabilities. Studies such as this will provide empirical evidence for services that are found to have a significant impact on quality of life, and this evidence will, in turn, ensure the continuation of services in the face of funding cuts. It is with appropriate, individualized support, with concurrent skills training in order to allow for the fading of support as much as possible, that individuals with developmental disabilities can gain independence and assume normalized roles within society. This will, subsequently, maximize the quality of their lives.