Self-concept and adaptive behaviour of people with intellectual disability in integrated and segregated recreation activities

Abstract Background Leisure and recreation are areas in which the inclusion of people with intellectual disability (ID) in the community is required. In Israel, leisure activities have been developed over the past decade as part of the services provided to individuals with ID in the regular programmes of the community. However, even within those frameworks, people with ID are typically segregated from the whole population. Methods The purpose of the present study was to examine whether individuals with ID who participate in recreation activities with normal people as equals are different in their self-concept and adaptive behaviour from their counterparts who participate in segregated recreation programmes. Two hypotheses were examined: (1) whether people with ID who participate in integrated recreation programmes have a higher self-concept than those who participate in segregate programmes; and (2) whether individuals with ID who have better adaptive behaviour have a higher self-concept than people with ID who have lower adaptive behaviour. Results The hypotheses were partially confirmed. Differences were found in two subscales of self-concept. First, the physical self-concept of individuals with ID who participated in integrated programmes was found to be higher than that of their counterparts who participated in segregated programmes. Secondly, satisfaction with the whole self-concept of people with ID who participated in integrated programmes was found to be higher than of those who participated in segregated programmes. Conclusions The implications of the research findings are discussed and future planning is recommended.