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Examining Wellness in Children and Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: a Scoping Review

  • Intellectual Disability (Y Lunsky, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Developmental Disorders Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This review explored the literature on wellness in children and youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). We asked the following: (1) how is wellness conceptualized?; (2) what contributes to a sense of wellness?; (3) what is the current state of wellness research for this population?; and (4) what recommendations are there for clinical practice?

Recent Findings

Wellness has been conceptualized as having multiple, overlapping dimensions (e.g., physical, psychological), which can contribute to an overarching sense of wellness when combined and balanced. Most of the wellness literature on children and youth with IDD focus on particular aspects of wellness (e.g., physical activity).

Summary

Thirty-seven wellness articles related to children and youth with IDD were identified. Only two defined wellness. Most focused on physical wellness while others addressed multiple wellness dimensions, but none examined wellness comprehensively. Further research can explore what wellness interventions are relevant to children and youth themselves.

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Papers of particular interest, published recently, have been highlighted as: • Of importance •• Of major importance

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Acknowledgments

We sincerely thank our partners Special Olympics Canada and Special Olympics Ontario for supporting this work. YH and TY were supported by Mitacs Elevate Postdoctoral Fellowships.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bloorview Research Institute, Holland Bloorview Kids Rehabilitation Hospital, 150 Kilgour Road, Toronto, Ontario, M4G 1R8, Canada

    Yani Hamdani & Amy C. McPherson

  2. Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Yani Hamdani, Emily Rowland & Amy C. McPherson

  3. Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

    Tamara Yee

  4. Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada

    Amy C. McPherson

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  1. Yani Hamdani
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  2. Tamara Yee
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  4. Amy C. McPherson
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Correspondence to Yani Hamdani.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Intellectual Disability

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Hamdani, Y., Yee, T., Rowland, E. et al. Examining Wellness in Children and Youth with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities: a Scoping Review. Curr Dev Disord Rep 5, 165–196 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-018-0146-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40474-018-0146-1

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