People with learning disabilities and adulthood

1
People with learning disabilities and adulthood

• Disability Studies Association Conference
• Lancaster University September 18-20 2006
• Anna M. Kittelsaa
• Norwegian University of Science and Technology

2
The study

• Study of the daily lives of 8 young adults
• Research methods participant observations, field
  conversations and interviews
• Have known the participants for 18 20 months

3
The Norwegian Context

• Members of welfare society entitled to certain
  services and benefits
• Sheltered living, segregated work and often
  segregated leisure activities
• Income disability benefits

4
Adult status in Western societies examples

• Production and reproduction
• Civil rights
• Internal qualities independence, autonomy,
  competency
• External markers work, marriage / co-habitation,
  parenting, voting

5
The content of my paper

• Point of departure the notion of eternal child
  or eternal youth
• Some narratives told by the participants in my
  study organised around external and internal
  markers of adulthood
• Challenging the taken-for-granted perspectives of
  adulthood by stating our common interdependence

6
External markers of adulthood according to the
participants

• Work
• Leaving home
• Take responsibility of ones home and economy
• Marriage or co-habitation
• Voting

7
Internal markers of adulthood according to the
participants

• Developing self-sufficiency
• Competency
• Takes time to reach the goal
• Enjoying life

8
To be an adult and to be seen as one

• Important for the participants to communicate
  their adult status
• They know the central markers of adulthood and
  present themselves accordingly

9
However

• As eternal children or youth they are excluded
  from real participation in society
• The segregated arrangements and services signal
  that the participants are not fully able to
  decide for themselves
• Often met by paternalistic attitudes

10
Challenging myths

• The independent and autonomous individual is a
  myth because during a life course we are all
  dependent
• The participants know that they need some
  assistance, but do not accept that as a
  prerequisite for being denied full adult status