title: Eight-year follow-up of the impact of environmental characteristics on well-being of adults with developmental disabilities.
abstract: The impact of environmental features of residences on adaptive behavior, community integration, and health of adults with mental retardation over an 8-year period was examined. Environmental features included residence type, size, choice-making opportunities, physical attractiveness, and family involvement. We assessed 186 residents who initially lived in nursing homes. At the 8-year follow-up, 133 had moved to community-based residential settings. Findings indicated that residents who moved to community settings had higher levels of adaptive behavior and community integration than residents who remained in nursing homes. A more attractive physical environment and greater opportunity for choice-making were associated with higher levels of adaptive behavior at follow-up. Greater opportunity to make choices and family involvement were associated with higher levels of community integration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois at Chicago, 1640 W. Roosevelt Rd., Chicago, IL 60608, USA. theller@uic.edu
authors.forename: Tamar
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: Alison B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hsieh
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002755:Choice Behavior; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012112:Residential Facilities; D012919:Social Behavior