Keywords:
- Communication;
- literature review;
- mental health
Accessible summary
- A group of adults with mild-to-moderate learning difficulties said they found it hard at times to find someone to talk to who understands them.
- They said this was important because everybody should have someone to talk to and share their feelings with.
- They wanted to know what had been written about this, and what research had been done.
- A literature review was undertaken and found that the emotional lives of adults with learning difficulties have not been researched very much.
- Often supporters do not realise that people with learning difficulties would like more opportunities to talk and share their feelings.
- Adults with learning difficulties are good at supporting each other and more could be done to help this to happen.
Abstract
Background: Adults with mild or moderate learning difficulties identified a need for more opportunities to access appropriate emotional support.
Materials and Methods: A narrative literature review was undertaken. Factors associated with dealing with emotional unrest, such as self-esteem/self-awareness, a person’s attitude to having learning difficulties, emotional competency and friendship issues are discussed.
Results: The review provides evidence that emotional unrest exists but receives little attention from supporters due to an emphasis on practical issues associated with an inclusion agenda. The review highlights a lack of research on emotional support for adults and explores reasons for this.
Conclusion: The value that people with learning difficulties place on support from others with learning difficulties, that is peer support, emerges as a theme and an argument is presented for further inclusive research in this area.