Examining the relationship of age with fears among adolescents and young adults with and without intellectual disabilities
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-10-2022-0037 |
| Published date | 12 April 2023 |
| Date | 12 April 2023 |
| Pages | 109-119 |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
| Author | Lucy Barnard-Brak,Kagendo Mutua,Joy Burnham |
Examining the relationship of age with
fears among adolescents and young
adults with and without
intellectual disabilities
Lucy Barnard-Brak, Kagendo Mutua and Joy Burnham
Abstract
Purpose –This paper aims to examine for differences in potenti ally productive fear versus all other
fear scores comparing adolescents and young adults with intellectual disabilities versus their
typically developing peers without intellectual disabilities while statistically controlling for
chronological age.
Design/methodology/approach –The authors examined for differences in potentially productive fear
scores versusall fear scores comparing adolescentsand young adults with intellectualdisabilities versus
their typicallydeveloping peers without intellectualdisabilities.
Findings –Results of the current study highlight the importance of examining and statistically
acknowledgingthe form of the relationship between age and fear. As previousresearch has indicated the
relationship of age with fear, this form of the relationship should be acknowledged in subsequent
analyses. Results also present a conceptualization of fear with some fears being considered as
potentiallyproductive fears as it relates to independentliving.
Research limitations/implications –As previous research has indicated the relationship of age with
fear, this form of the relationship should be acknowledged in subsequent analyses. Finally, results
present a conceptualizationof fear with some fears being considered as potentiallyproductive fears as it
relatesto independent living as an outcome.
Practical implications –The current study presents a conceptualization of fear with some fears being
consideredas potentially productive fearsas it relates to independent living as an outcome.
Originality/value –Results supportthat potentially productive fears can be consideredfears that can be
used to promotelearning that leads to independentliving outcomes such as safety and security.
Keywords Age, Adolescents, Young adults, Fear, Intellectual disabilities
Paper type Research paper
Fears have been found to be distinct from a dislike or distaste as being marked by
anxiety that impacts one or more areas of functioning (Muris, 2017). These fears
often originate at any early age in childhood and can escalate into specific phobias
with significant duration and intensity when clinically diagnosed (Ollendick and Muris,
2015). Thus, examining such fears at this point of pathogenesis is therefore worthwhile in
their identification and treatment (Muris,2017). The examination of fears that persist beyond
childhood and focusing on adolescencewould indicate their relative permanence beyond a
developmental phase. The exact ontogenetic conditioning history for many fears and
specific phobias is unknown but are known to have some kind of ontogenetic conditioning
given that only some individuals have certain fears (e.g. fear of cemeteries and haunted
houses). Fortunately, fears among children and adolescents have been a relatively
Lucy Barnard-Brak,
Kagendo Mutua and Joy
Burnham are all based at
the Department of Special
Education, The University
of Alabama System,
Tuscaloosa, Alabama,
USA.
Received 14 October 2022
Revised 11 March 2023
Accepted 14 March 2023
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-10-2022-0037 VOL. 17 NO. 2 2023, pp. 109-119, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282 jADVANCES IN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIESjPAGE 109
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