Actual leisure participation of Norwegian adolescents with Down syndrome

Abstract

This article reports the actual participation in leisure activities by a sample of Norwegian adolescents with Down syndrome aged 14. Representing a first generation to grow up in a relatively inclusive context, they live with their families, attend mainstream schools, and are part of common community life. Leisure information was obtained in individual, structured parent interviews, and added to existing longitudinal data from a project following the sample. Generally, the leisure activity may be viewed as varying along a continuum-reaching from formal, organized, and assisted activity participation outside home, to informal, self-organized, and independent participation at home. Formal leisure activities were either organized "for all" or "adapted for disabled." The adolescents' leisure appears as active and social. However, social participation largely involved parents and family, while socializing with other adolescents mainly took place within formal activities adapted for disabled. Clearly, formal and informal activities provide rather different opportunities for social encounters and assistance.

Friendships and patterns of social leisure participation among Norwegian adolescents with Down syndrome

“…In a study of the same cohort at the age of fourteen, parents reported that their children rarely had friends visiting at home (Dolva et al, ). The present study showed that the number of visiting friends had increased.…”

“…The social life of adolescents with intellectual disability involves a smaller number of friends and fewer close friendships than with adolescents without disabilities (Solish, Perry, & Minnes, ; Søderstrøm & Tøssebro, ; Tipton, Christensen, & Blacher, ). They spend less time with friends outside school than others (Melbøe & Ytterhus, ; Solish et al, ), and fewer friends visit them at home (D'Haem, ; Dolva, Kleiven, & Kollstad, ). Commonly, their friends also have a disability and have been considered a friend for a long time (McVilly, Stancliffe, Parmenter, & Burton‐Smith, ).…”

“…Parents are commonly worried about the social life of their adolescents with Down syndrome and about their prospect of future loneliness (Dolva et al, 2014;Jobling et al, 2000). Consequently, parents encourage and facilitate social participation by arranging social activities with other adolescents or with family (e.g., Turnbull, Pereira, & Blue-Banning, 1999).…”

Staff’s and Managers’ Conceptions of Participation for Adults with Profound Intellectual Disabilities or Profound Intellectual and Multiple Disabilities

“…Not engaging in these activities can elevate the risk of social exclusion because leisure activities outside the home are often designed for people without disabilities. Others also often select the leisure activities believed to be appropriate for a person with a disability (Dolva, Kleiven & Kollstad 2014).…”

Disability leisure: in what kind of activities, and when and how do youths with intellectual disabilities participate?

“…Furthermore, compared with their non-disabled peers, children and youths with intellectual disabilities participate more in social activities at home (King et al 2013) and with adults (especially their parents) (Solish, Perry, and Minnes 2010), and with family and other persons with disabilities (Dolva, Kleiven, and Kollstad 2014). Even though more integrated school systems are found to have positive influence on the level of participation in leisure activities of children with disabilities (including children with intellectual disabilities) (Ullenhag et al 2012), physical proximity in the community alone does not appear to ensure social inclusion in peer activities and interactions (Solish, Minnes, and Kupferschmidt 2003).…”