Understanding the effect of the increase in the intellectual disability population

Understanding the effect of the increase in the intellectual disability population: A system dynamic approach

Van Houdenhoven, Robyn (TU Delft Technology, Policy and Management)

Hinrichs-Krapels, S. (mentor)
d’Hont, Floortje (graduation committee)
Zuiderwijk, AMG (mentor)
Van Rooijen, M (graduation committee)
Apperloo, M. (graduation committee)

Delft University of Technology

Engineering and Policy Analysis

2023-04-11

The intellectual disability population increased from 65.545 people in 2011 to 116.200 people in 2020. In other words, the population almost doubled in less than ten years' time. Interventions are required to be able to make sure everyone receives the needed care. Therefore, the causes for the growth should be further examined before any decision on intervention can be taken. This thesis contributed to understanding the factors influencing the increase in the intellectual disability population and evaluating the behaviour of the sector. To improve the understanding, a System Dynamics model was designed analysing the influence of self-reliance on the intellectual disability population.

The question of why there is an increase in the intellectual disability population has been attempted to be answered within this study. After evaluating multiple factors as a cause for the growth in the intellectual disability population, self-reliance was selected as being an important factor. In the conceptual model, three reinforcing feedback loops were found, indicating that when there is no intervention, the self-reliance of the intellectual disability population continuously decreases, resulting in more people applying for care from the Wlz. In the qualitative model, this proposition could not be rejected, indicating the importance of the role of self-reliance on the growth of the intellectual disability population. Especially for the population with an IQ score between 70 and 85, more attention should be paid to the increase or maintaining of self-reliance. In that way, the intellectual disability sector is always able to care for the ones who cannot live without.

Intellectual disability population
Self-reliance
Social network
Regular school
Employment
System Dynamics

http://resolver.tudelft.nl/uuid:5aa059b8-1249-453b-97ad-559c0c508884

Student theses

master thesis

© 2023 Robyn Van Houdenhoven