EFFECTS OF THE EXPLORE CURRICULUM ON THE SOCIAL SKILLS OF ADOLESCENTS WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITY IN A SPECIAL SCHOOL IN IBADAN

Abstract

According to the World Health Organisation, intellectual disability is the most common developmental disorder, with an overall prevalence of about 1% globally. It involves utilization of large public health resources, and people with intellectual disabilities make a disproportionate contribution to total psychiatric morbidity. The highest rates and the greatest burden are in the low- and middle-income (LAMI) countries where higher prevalence has been reported. Evidence suggests that many adolescents with intellectual disabilities demonstrate difficulties in the area of social skills and relationships, and as a result experience lower levels of acceptance from peers and teachers and also present with other serious mental health problems. Studies have shown that interventions that focused on improving the social skills of individuals with intellectual disability tend to improve their participation and ability to cope in the community. At present, information on resources and services for persons with intellectual disabilities is scarce in LAMI countries. Furthermore, there is a dearth of information on interventional studies among children and adolescents with intellectual disability in Nigeria and sub-Saharan Africa. This study aimed to investigate the effects of an intervention on the social skills of adolescents with intellectual disabilities.

The study was an interventional one involving 30 adolescents attending a special school in Ibadan. The Explore Curriculum was adapted for use by teachers in this environment, thereafter lessons from the adapted curriculum were taught to the students by their teachers three times per week for eight weeks. Their pre and post-intervention social skills levels were assessed with the Matson Evaluation of Social Skills for Individuals with Mental Retardation (MESSIER). Their intelligence quotient levels were also assessed using the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children (WISC) – Fourth Edition. Socio-demographic information was obtained from interviews with the teachers. The data were analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics including paired t-test, Wilcoxon signed-rank, Mann Whitney U and Kruskal Wallis tests. The mean age of the participants was 15.70 ± 1.89 years. All the participants had an IQ score below 69 on the WISC. Twenty-eight (93.3%) of the participants had either moderate or severe social skills impairment at baseline. The mean pre and post- intervention social skills total scores were 126.63±17.91and 134.36±22.11 respectively with a statistically significant (t =3.71; p=0.001) mean difference of 10.73. The distribution of the mean difference between pre and post intervention scores differed significantly (p= 0.015) across categories of mother’s level of education but not across other socio-demographic variables. A total of 14 items on the MESSIER questionnaire showed significant difference between the pre and post- intervention assessment scores. Factor analysis of the MESSIER showed that extracted factors accounted for 43.2% of the total variance and both negative and positive items loaded on separate factors.

A classroom-based intervention significantly improved the social skills of adolescents with intellectual disability in a special school. Comprehensive social skills and educational interventions should be made available to adolescents with intellectual disability in all schools.