Understanding emotional and psychological harm of people with intellectual disability: an evolving framework

Purpose: A schema for more clearly understanding the emotional and psychological abuse and neglect of people with intellectual disability was developed to support a narrative study with people with intellectual disability, families and other supporters about the lived experience of this maltreatment in disability accommodation services in Australia. Approach: A review of existing understandings of this form of abuse in research and policy was conducted, and a framework developed and tested for ‘trustworthiness’ with participants in the research. This paper describes the review, and the evolving new framework. Findings: A framework of emotional and psychological abuse and neglect is presented. It centres on the misuse of power and control, and goes into some detail in describing the sorts of behaviours and interactions which can occur when it is inflicted, and is tested against the experiences of people who have experienced this sort of abuse and neglect. Originality/value: A more complex construction of emotional and psychological abuse and neglect may inform the development of service policy and support education for people with disability, families, and workers. Research implications: This is an evolving framework, applied through one study only. Further application and research is needed to test the robustness of the framework.