“My job is the TV”: an ecological approach to intellectually disabled adults’ media use
Creators: name: Prendella, Katherine
Publisher: name: No Publisher Supplied
Year: 2025

description: This dissertation is an ecological systems theory approach to the media use of intellectually disabled adults living with family members under guardianship. Within a systems theory framework, this project utilizes access theory, usage or gratification theory, and parental mediation theory to analyze and contextualize how intellectually disabled adults are active within structures including the accessibility of media, guardian regulation, and resource eligibility. I describe ways in which systems impress upon the central intellectually disabled individual and how the individuals simultaneously impress themselves against the systems. Findings from this study address the present gap in research around intellectually disabled adults both in terms of their disproportionate absence within existing academic research and of the propensity to talk around disabled participants instead of including them in the research process.Using an inclusive research methodology developed alongside community insiders, recruited families were engaged over the course of four interviews and a completed media journal. Multiple interviews with intellectually disabled adults, their primary caregivers, and additional household members ensured information triangulation. Data was analyzed along a flexible coding model within an ecological systems framework. Findings reveal numerous reported gratifications associated with media use and simultaneous barriers including inaccessible technology, resisted caregiver moderation, and insufficient available programming. Participants report gratifications gained from entertainment media use including sense of control, tension relief, sense of accomplishment, sense of independence, and relationship maintenance. Media is reportedly a source of connection with family and friends through co-use, formulaic interactions, and empowerment through bottom-up caregiving. Simultaneously, disabled adults and their guardians report conflict stemming from caregiver moderation and access facilitation of media due to inaccessible technologies and safety concerns. To analyze the stakes of accessible communication media, and the volume of media reportedly used by participants, this dissertation examines how larger structures, like caregiver networks and government institutions impact media use. The quantity, quality, and transportation to programming was found to be correlated with the cultural capital acquired by guardians through networking. Due to the reportedly convoluted nature of institutions for intellectually disabled adults, caregivers form their own information networks to share resources. The state of insufficient programming options for intellectually disabled adults results in not only a higher volume of media use but a reported preference for media use over existing alternatives. The findings from this dissertation demonstrate the value of media for this population. In this dissertation's conclusion, I articulate future work needed to ensure that the promised potential of media for this population is reached. The reported barriers to media necessitate improved access of content and form in addition to media trainings for both intellectually disabled adults and their caregivers. Finally, the gratifications reported from media use all stemmed from content not created for intellectually disabled adults. While participants creatively utilized it to meet their needs, they should have access to media created for them.