Assessing Work Task Preferences among Persons with Intellectual Disabilities: An Integrative Review of Literature

Abstract

Quality of life and self-determination are important values in the field of intellectual disabilities however they may be difficult to facilitate with persons who have limited communication skills. In fact, many studies provide evidence that these persons have less opportunity to make choices and express their preferences. To help practitioners understand what their clients with non verbal mode of communication prefer, direct observation methods were developed over the last few decades. However, these methods are used more often to determine best reinforcers for behavioral interventions, and not domains of the persons' quality of life. Vocational activities are an important aspect of life planning, but assessing preferences for these complex stimuli requires specific methods. This integrative review of literature aims at gathering information about work task preference assessment, and consequently offering recommendations to practitioners on how to do it.