A Dual Aspect Process Model of Intensive Interaction

Abstract

Accessible summary Intensive Interaction is a way of communicating sociably with people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism. The writer of this paper thinks that some people may have different ideas why they do Intensive Interaction with people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism. Some people use Intensive Interaction to communicate with and respond to people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism, in whichever way works best. Other people use Intensive Interaction to help people who have severe or profound learning disabilities and/or autism to learn more ways to communicate and get on with other people around them. The writer of this paper thinks that there should be more research into what people think about Intensive Interaction. Summary Intensive Interaction is an empirically researched approach to developing fundamental communication and sociability for people with severe and profound learning disabilities and/or autism. However, it is the author’s contention that certain aspects of Intensive Interaction are not universally conceptualised in a uniform manner, and that there are two general process models that are used to describe the approach by an increasing number of multi‐disciplinary practitioners and advocates. Firstly, there is a ‘Social Inclusion Process Model’ of Intensive Interaction, with practitioners using the approach with the primary aim of inclusively responding to the communication of a person with learning disability, however it is expressed. Secondly, there is a ‘Developmental Process Model’, with practitioners having identifiably educative or developmental goals, rather than the approach being viewed simply as a means of contemporaneous social inclusion. In an attempt to clarify this position, this paper makes the case for a ‘Dual Aspect Process Model’ of Intensive Interaction.

The Effectiveness of Intensive Interaction, A Systematic Literature Review

“…No age restrictions were applied as both intellectual disabilities and autism are lifelong conditions. Due to Firth's (2009) Dual Process Model, studies from both social and educative backgrounds were included. It is likely that many studies contain both elements from the Dual Process Model, and dividing such a small literature base would be unwise.…”

“…Some practitioners see Intensive Interaction as a tool to develop communication skills (Nind & Hewett 1994;Kellett 2000Kellett , 2003Kellett , 2004Kellett , 2005Nind & Kellett 2002), whilst others see its potential as a route to social engagement and inclusion (Leaning & Watson 2006;Caldwell 2007). Firth (2009) has developed a model combining these perspectives. In the 'Dual Aspect Process Model', Firth states that processes seen are evident at two different time points of using the approach.…”

Examining the impact of a city-wide intensive interaction staff training program for adults with profound and multiple learning disability: a mixed methods evaluation

“…These evaluation studies highlight an important question about the over-arching aim of Intensive Interaction. Firth (16) proposed a dual processing model of Intensive Interaction where a distinction is made between a 'social inclusion process model' and a 'developmental process model'. The latter model aims to identify and intervene to enable the individual with profound and multiple learning disability to achieve specific developmental or educational or communicative goals as evidenced currently by case series research.…”

“…In contrast, the social inclusion process model aims to facilitate social interaction and communication and therefore social inclusion more generally. Firth (16) discusses the advantages of and benefits that each approach can bring to the lives of people with profound and multiple learning disability and the type of evidence needed to support the implementation of each approach. For example, a social inclusion approach may involve training staff to use Intensive Interaction with the people they support and this would require a less robust level of evidence (because social inclusion is a right for all) to a developmental approach where one to one Intensive Interaction is delivered with the primary aim of enabling an individual to achieve a specific communicative behaviour(s) and requires more intensive one to one resource such as a speech and language therapist or a more highly trained Intensive Interaction practitioner.…”

“…Only 18 studies were identified in a recent systematic review of the effectiveness of Intensive Interaction across child and adult populations (17). The majority of these studies aligned with Firth's developmental approach (16), examining changes in the individual's communicative behaviours with three studies evaluating staff training in Intensive Interaction.…”