abstract: 'PurposeLockdowns due to the Covid-19 pandemic may have had a

  disproportionate impact on the daily lives of people with intellectual

  disabilities. Many of them had to deal with limited social contacts for

  an extended period. This study explores in depth how people with

  intellectual disabilities in the Netherlands experienced their daily

  lives, in particular due to lack of access to regular work

  activities.Materials and methodsEight participants with intellectual

  disabilities were interviewed. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis

  (IPA) was employed in conducting and analysing interviews.Results and

  conclusionsAnalysis yielded three overarching themes that are

  conceptually linked. Participants experienced a prolonged lack of social

  connections that resulted in experiences of social isolation and

  feelings of loneliness. This led to different kinds of struggles: either

  internal struggles involving negative thoughts or depressive feelings,

  or a perceived threat to their autonomous position in society. Meanwhile

  participants had to sustain their sense of self-worth in the absence of

  work activities. The findings emphasise the importance of social

  opportunities through the access to work activities for people with

  intellectual disabilities. Interventions are suggested to help reverse

  the increased social inequalities and enhance rehabilitation via work

  activities for people with intellectual disabilities.IMPLICATIONS FOR

  REHABLITATIONMore awareness may be raised among authorities, employers

  and the general public about the significant value people with

  intellectual disabilities attribute to meaningful social connections, in

  particular through work activities.Also, more awareness may be raised

  about the potential adverse effects of the loss of work activities and

  social connections on the quality of life of people with intellectual

  disabilities.Providing social support to others may help people with

  intellectual disabilities to construct social valued roles, either in or

  outside the work situation.Professionals and employers can support

  people with intellectual disabilities to find opportunities to provide

  social support to others.It is important to invest in sustainable and

  innovative post-pandemic community participation initiatives and

  particularly in accessible post-pandemic employment support, for example

  by organising paid in-company training placements.It is essential that

  professionals support people with intellectual disabilities to enhance

  their sources of resilience and coping strategies, that may have

  diminished as a result of the pandemic.'
affiliation: 'Voermans, MAC (Corresponding Author), Tilburg Univ, Tilburg Sch Social
  \& Behav Sci, Tranzo, POB 90153, NL-5000 LE Tilburg, Netherlands.

  Voermans, Moniek A. C.; den Boer, Maria C.; Embregts, Petri J. C. M., Tilburg Univ,
  Tilburg Sch Social \& Behav Sci, Tranzo, Tilburg, Netherlands.

  Voermans, Moniek A. C., Amarant, Healthcare Org People Intellectual Disabil, Tilburg,
  Netherlands.

  Wilthagen, Ton, Tilburg Univ, Tilburg Law Sch, Publ Law \& Governance, Tilburg,
  Netherlands.

  Voermans, Moniek A. C., Tilburg Univ, Tilburg Sch Social \& Behav Sci, Tranzo, POB
  90153, NL-5000 LE Tilburg, Netherlands.'
author: Voermans, Moniek A. C. and den Boer, Maria C. and Wilthagen, Ton and Embregts,
  Petri J. C. M.
author-email: m.a.c.voermans@tilburguniversity.edu
author_list:
- family: Voermans
  given: Moniek A. C.
- family: den Boer
  given: Maria C.
- family: Wilthagen
  given: Ton
- family: Embregts
  given: Petri J. C. M.
da: '2023-09-28'
doi: 10.1080/09638288.2022.2147227
earlyaccessdate: NOV 2022
eissn: 1464-5165
files: []
issn: 0963-8288
journal: DISABILITY AND REHABILITATION
keywords: 'Covid-19; daytime activities; employment; intellectual disabilities;

  interpretative phenomenological analysis; job loss; social contacts;

  meaning of work'
keywords-plus: QUALITY-OF-LIFE; OPPORTUNITIES; EMPLOYMENT; ADULTS
language: English
month: 2022 NOV 17
number-of-cited-references: '53'
orcid-numbers: 'den Boer, Maria/0000-0003-4945-7303

  Embregts, Petri/0000-0003-3567-1528

  Voermans, Moniek/0000-0001-8552-7378'
papis_id: 883a9635a152adccc056bad825c0a277
ref: Voermans2022longtermsocial
researcherid-numbers: 'den Boer, Maria/Y-2449-2018

  '
times-cited: '1'
title: 'Long-term social restrictions and lack of work activities during the COVID-19
  pandemic: impact on the daily lives of people with intellectual disabilities'
type: Article; Early Access
unique-id: WOS:000888523000001
usage-count-last-180-days: '2'
usage-count-since-2013: '4'
web-of-science-categories: Rehabilitation
year: '2022'