Abstract of E.Emerson lecture

E. Emerson

ADVERSITY AND THE WELL-BEING OF PEOPLE WITH

INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES

E. Emerson

Centre for Disability Research, Lancaster University, USA

There is now extensive evidence that exposure to environmental

adversity pre-natally and across the life course can have a pervasive

negative impact on health and well-being. It is also clear, however,

that there exists marked variation in the resilience or vulnerability

shown by individuals, families and communities when exposed to

adversity. In this presentation I will summarise what we know about

the association between intellectual disability and exposure to

environmental adversity and draw out implications for research, policy

and practice.