Valued social roles for people with learning disabilities

Social identity theory maintains that individuals define themselves according to their social groups, which in turn impacts self-esteem. Valued social roles are assumed to influence identity and self-concept. Being a trainer represents a valued social role for people with learning disabilities (PLD) and research suggests it impacts identity. However, there is a paucity of empirical literature explicitly exploring this relationship in learning disabled trainers. Using narrative analysis, this study explored how being a trainer impacted the lives and identities of nine PLD.
Being a trainer contributed to progression and stability in participants’ lives and they positioned themselves as trainers in different positive roles (e.g. go-getter, helper). This study highlights the value of the trainer role for PLD, suggests a role for clinical psychologists in contributing to the sustainability of training organisations, and highlights a need for further research employing standardised measures, longitudinal and comparative designs.