Working Through Attachment Relationships to Improve Quality of Life for People with an Intellectual Disability: Clinical discussion panel

Intellectual disability (ID) primarily affects social adaptive behavior, which in some cases may deteriorate into endangerment of self and others. People with ID are as a result overrepresented in residential settings for youth mental health care, prisons, and care homes. The regimen in many of these settings may involve the use of behavioral, pharmacological, and mechanical restraints, or seclusion. This panel brings together clinical researchers and practitioners to discuss how insights from attachment theory and research may be employed to reduce such practices, improve quality of life, and promote adaptive development. Key questions to be discussed by the panel and with the audience are: (a) how may attachment-based interventions make restraints and seclusion obsolete?; (b) how may family carers and professionals be supported in building high quality relationships with people with ID?; (c) what are clinical research priorities in this field and how should these be pursued