The Research Institute Mission
The Research Institute at the YAI/National Institute for People with Disabilities supports the agency's mission to build brighter futures for people with developmental and learning disabilities and their families. All the activities of the Research Institute are therefore guided by a belief in maximizing an individual's potential to achieve independence, productivity, and inclusion.
The Research Institute has an extensive program of research that is aimed at advancing and exchanging scientific knowledge; particularly related to understanding the needs of people with developmental disabilities and their families and caregivers, and at promoting the physical and mental well being of these individuals. All research is pursued from a multi-dimensional perspective in which the contributions of several different disciplines are utilized in order to achieve a broader understanding of a particular issue to enhance the consumer, staff, or program performance. The Institute also works in partnership with persons with developmental disabilities and with the individuals that represent them in order to incorporate their perspectives into our research program.
Areas of research currently undertaken by the Research Institute include:
- Aging
- Autism
- Mental and physical health
- Program evaluations
- Sexuality
- Staff development and workforce issues
The Research Institute works to convey to both professional organizations and to the public the importance of investigating the physical, psychological, behavioral and social factors in the lives of persons with developmental disabilities via the participation in conferences and the publication of articles in professional journals.
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