Independent Living with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: Peer Support Training Program

Lack of social connectedness and belonging are identified as barriers to social participation within the Intellectual and Developmental Disability (IDD) community. Peer support leverages shared lived experiences in the delivery of services including skill building, connection to resources, and goal setting. Peer support is recognized in mental health and substance-use communities, but remains a novel practice within the IDD community. This capstone project aimed to design and implement a peer support training program within the IDD community using the Person-Environment-Occupation (PEO) model and Universal Design for Learning (UDL). Content included evidence-based skills required for rapport building and effective peer support to increase social participation. The program was evaluated using pre- and post-intervention surveys analyzing participation and self-perception of skill development. Results demonstrated increased confidence and engagement among participants following the training program, suggesting peer support within the IDD community may be a feasible way to increase social participation and connectedness.

Grantor dc:publisher

Temple University. Libraries

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Sytsma, Skye

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Connor, Susan E.

• Occupational therapy

Statement dc:rights

• IN COPYRIGHT- This Rights Statement can be used for an Item that is in copyright. Using this statement implies that the organization making this Item available has determined that the Item is in copyright and either is the rights-holder, has obtained permission from the rights-holder(s) to make their Work(s) available, or makes the Item available under an exception or limitation to copyright (including Fair Use) that entitles it to make the Item available.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language.iso

eng, English

Repository record dc:identifier.uri

https://scholarshare.temple.edu/handle/20.500.12613/11043

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholarshare.temple.edu:20.500.12613/11043