Caregiver's perceptions of clothing for people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Little has been published regarding clothing for people with severe and profound intellectual disabilities (SPID). Dressing in fashionable clothing is a way for people of this population to find more acceptance in their communities. The purpose of this exploratory study was to explore the role that fashionable clothing plays in the normalization process and how it impacts perceptions of people with SPID. Ten interviews were conducted with caregivers of persons with SPID, and data was analyzed according to the grounded theory approach. The data proved that caregiverÕs feel clothing plays an important role in the lives of persons with SPID. Fashionable clothing and being well groomed aid in the normalization process and help facilitate positive perceptions from others. Conversely, if the person with SPID is wearing ill-fitting, dirty clothing and is badly groomed, the normalization process is hindered and others are likely to have negative perceptions of the person.