Necessidade de apoio de jovens e adultos com deficiência intelectual na perspectiva de pais, professora e o próprio indivíduo

Abstract

Intellectual disability (ID) is characterized by significant limitations in intellectual functioning and adaptive behavior, manifesting before the age of 22. Adaptive behavior encompasses conceptual, social, and practical skills fundamental to autonomy, social participation, and independent living. In this context, assessing the intensity of support becomes essential, as it allows for the identification of the necessary support to promote the development and quality of life of this population. This study aimed to analyze the intensity of the need for support related to the adaptive functioning of young people and adults with ID, from the perspective of the participants themselves, their parents/guardians, and the teacher, as well as to verify agreements and disagreements between the responses of the different respondents. This is a descriptive and comparative interpretive study conducted in a specialized institution, with the participation of eight young people and adults with ID, their families, and the teacher in charge. Data collection involved interviews and the application of the Support Intensity Scale (SIS) across the three perspectives, allowing for a comparative analysis of perceptions about the need for support. Agreements and disagreements among respondents were analyzed using descriptive analysis. The results indicated that the most recurrent levels of support intensity ranged from low to intermediate, with a greater need for support in the areas of Lifelong Learning, Community Life, Employment, and Health and Safety, while the areas of Domestic and Social Life showed lower levels of support. It was observed that family members tended to indicate higher levels of need for support when compared to the participants themselves, who, in general, perceived themselves as more autonomous. The teacher presented intermediate assessments, oscillating between family perceptions and the participants' self-perception. The agreements between the three perspectives indicate a shared recognition of the need for support in skills more directly related to daily routines, especially in the domains of Domestic and Social Life. On the other hand, the disagreements, most evident in the areas of Lifelong Learning, Employment, and Community Life, reveal differing expectations, influenced by distinct contexts of coexistence, opportunities offered, and more protective or more functional views regarding autonomy. In this sense, the data highlight the relevance of listening to the person with intellectual disability as an active subject in assessing their support needs, since their self-perception contributes to broadening the understanding of their adaptive functioning and supporting the planning of more realistic, contextualized, and individual-centered support. It is concluded that assessing the intensity of support from multiple perspectives fosters a broader and more integrated understanding of support needs, strengthening educational, social, and occupational practices committed to autonomy, social participation, and inclusion.