In my own words, a study of faith as articulated by adults with developmental disabilities

Graduation date: 2010This qualitative study considered faith as a part of the lifespan development of adults with developmental disabilities between the ages of 30 and 67 years. Ten individuals who participated attended an adapted liturgy and/or fellowship group hosted by two Roman Catholic faith formation groups. The data were gathered through individual, audio taped interviews, and then transcribed and analyzed through a reciprocal reflective process in which new data informed previously transcribed material and the previous material informed the new interviews and observations. The data were analyzed in light of previous research, including Fowler's theory of faith development, which is based on the developmental traditions of Piaget, Erickson, Kohlberg, and Selman. Two main themes emerged from the data that formed two continua: (a) from concrete to intangible, and (b) from an awareness of Self to an awareness of Other. Members of each faith group saw themselves as a part of the ongoing life of the community and able to participate fully as members of that community. According to their statements, the participants live rich, full, faith lives that they regard as vitally important to their happiness and quality of life. This may suggest that the expressed beliefs and lived experience of these adults with developmental disabilities moves beyond a concrete articulation of faith to a more complexly experienced faith life. Faith development is an important area of research for further study. Such information could benefit clergy and laity alike who seek to include adults with disabilities into their faith communities as fully participatory members