Using Social Network Analysis to Measure Social Inclusion for Individuals with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.

The aim of this perspective is to describe the theory and practical steps of using principles of social network analysis to help measure the social inclusion of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Social inclusion for those with disabilities has become an important area of focus of rehabilitative professionals in the past decade. Social inclusion is comprised of the domains participation and social interaction. Decreased social inclusion can negatively impact quality of life and health. Individuals with IDD continue to experience barriers to social inclusion such as limited opportunities to socialize and participate in community groups, physical barriers, and the lack of available valued social roles. There are limited methods for measuring social inclusion for individuals with IDD. Social network analysis is one way to analyze and understand social relationships to better understand the social inclusion of individuals with IDD. Providing a way to measure social inclusion may help answer questions about the effectiveness of interventions, ultimately leading to increased social inclusion for individuals with IDD.

Social Participation in Schools: A Survey of Occupational Therapy Practitioners.

OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify strategies and practices that school-based occupational therapy practitioners use in addressing social participation, their perceptions of competence, and factors influencing their strategies and practices. METHOD: Surveys were sent to 500 randomly selected members of the American Occupational Therapy Association's Early Intervention and School Special Interest Section; 112 usable surveys were received from 36 states. RESULTS: Respondents reported focusing on internal client factors when addressing social participation. Fewer than half (46.5%) indicated that they understood their role (mean [M] = 4.23, standard deviation [SD] = 1.22), and 57.1% desired greater understanding or ability (M = 4.64, SD = 1.29). Differences were found based on years of experience, service delivery model used, and services provided by diagnosis category. CONCLUSION: School-based occupational therapy practitioners may need to expand their current practices in addressing student social participation. Findings may be used to develop interventions to address this area of practice.