Browsing by Author "Ohtonen, Jenni"

Aims. People with profound and multiple learning disabilities (PMLD) communicate with pre-verbal communication techniques. They have severe difficulties in interaction with other people and building up relationships. Due to the limitations of the physical and mental capacities and the limitations sense organs, sense of touch is a meaningful way to interact with other people. Intensive Interaction is a technique of communication with people who communicate with pre-verbal communication techniques. Intensive Interaction is based on natural interaction between people. Its main goal is to create meaningful interaction and strengthen the basic skills in communication. The purpose of this study is to find out what role does touch play in the interaction between a person with PMLD and a skilled communication partner when the skilled partner uses Intensive Interaction methods. Method. The data of this study were collected in the Finnish Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and Tikoteekki. The data were total 36 videos and collected during Intensive Interaction -Coordinator training process. This study had two participants whose interaction sessions were monitored. The skilled partner used Intensive Interaction methods during these sessions. The data were studied with a large table and transcriptions. The data were analyzed with qualitative and quantitative means. Results and conclusions. The most interesting result of this study was the touching between the partners as it became more complex during the intervention session. Touching was a way to orientate towards communication partner, take turns in interaction, participate in shared activities and strengthen the relationship between the communication partners. The results suggest that when used systematically, Intensive Interaction can help build meaningful inter-action with people with PMLD. Role of the skilled partner is crucial in this meaningful interaction.