2024 | Track 2 | Developmental Disability Abuse Prevention and Response

TRACK 2 SEED GRANT | Whole Health Consortium

Developmental Disability Abuse Prevention and Response 

TEAM:

• Dr. Jamie Edgin, Psychology
• Dr. Chelsea Armour, Psychology
• Dr. Katalin Parti, Sociology
• Dana Sciullo, National Down Syndrome Society 

Colleagues from the Departments of Psychology, Sociology, and the National Down Syndrome Society are pursuing a program to leverage community experience to learn more about the specific needs for prevention and response to sexual abuse experienced by individuals with developmental and intellectual disability (IDD). Children with IDD experience an interaction of social determinants of health, including co-occurring medical conditions, increased incidence of sexual abuse, and social exclusion and discrimination, leading to long-term negative health outcomes. After consultation with local community organizations for individuals with IDD and other universities with programs for abuse prevention education and abuse awareness and response, collaborators will use the Group Concept Mapping method to guide multidisciplinary community input at two focus groups to develop priority topics for action along the themes of education, advocacy, and forensic engagement. A stakeholder advisory board will be formed to interpret focus group results and make decisions about next funding requests.