Listening to adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities from South Asian communities

Twenty-one South Asian adolescents and adults with intellectual disabilities were interviewed regarding eight areas of their lives: accommodation, individual support, day services, service support, social and recreational activities, friendships and relationships, ethnic and racial identity, and racism and stigma. All interviews were coded for user satisfaction with these aspects of their lives, and content-analysed to draw out relevant themes. From the interviews, it is clear that South Asian adolescents and adults have a strong and positive sense of their ethnic and racial identity, and that they are generally satisfied with their home and family circumstances. However, people with intellectual disabilities from South Asian communities experience pervasive racism and stigma throughout all areas of their lives. Consequences of this double discrimination include a lack of culturally appropriate services, limited friendships and closer relationships, and a lack of meaningful leisure activities. Implications of these findings for services are discussed.