Couple relationships as perceived by people with intellectual disability — implications for quality of life and self-concept^*

The study focused on perspectives of people with intellectual disability (ID) regarding their experience of being involved in an intimate relationship with a steady partner and on the discrepancies between their reported experiences and the prevailing opinions on this issue as expressed in the professional literature. In light of the importance of couple relationships in the general population, the paucity of studies that consider this type of relationship among people with ID is conspicuous. Qualitative analysis was used to understand how people with ID perceive couple relationships. Quantitative analysis was used to compare the quality of life and self-concept of people with ID involved in an intimate relationship with those of people with ID who have a strong relationship with a close friend. The findings indicate that people with ID perceive couple relationships to be multidimensional, with unique characteristics, much like the general population’s perception of couple relationships. In addition, it was found that people with ID involved in an intimate couple relationship scored higher on quality of life and self-image measures than did their counterparts who had a close relationship with a (non-partner) friend. Several recommendations are offered on how to help people with ID develop and maintain a long-term intimate relationship with a lifelong partner.