איכות חיים של בוגרים עם תסמונת דאון בחברה הערבית: מקומם של משתנים רפואיים לעומת תפקודיים

The present study examined the personal well-being of Israeli Arabs with Down syndrome, through the relationships between the person’s severity of intellectual disability, functioning and engagement in activities and measures of social participation.The sample included 51 adults with Down syndrome (aged 21–61), currently working in 20 extended employment programs in Northern Israel. The study tools comprised background questions, and questionnaires that measure these verity of intellectual disability, functioning and engagement in activities, social participation, and personal well-being.The findings indicate a positive correlation between the severity of intellectual disability and their levels of functioning and engagement in activities and social participation. These two variables were also correlated with personal well-being of these adults.However, a closer examination of the association between social participation and personal well-being demonstrates that while medical and functional variables were directly correlated with personal well-being, the level of social participation was mediated by adults’ functioning and engagement in activities. Findings are discussed regarding policy, planning of services and practice.The impact of economic variables, parents’ employment status and area of residence on the social participation of people with Down syndrome is emphasized.The article also highlights the low use of formal services, by people with Down syndrome and their families. Many barriers, such as poverty, low exposure, lack of awareness of the existence of services, as well as a fatalistic approach regarding the family’s ability to cope with the difficulties and challenges of raising a child with Down syndrome, may lead to the under use of services in the Arab society.The article encourages an in-depth discussion of the differences between people with Down syndrome in the Arab society and those in the general society.