Intellectual and developmental disabilities, spirituality and religion: a systematic review 1990-2015

Over the past two decades research on religion/spirituality has begun to gain momentum. Nevertheless, to our knowledge, a systematic review of empirical research in the field of intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), social care services, and spirituality has not been carried out in the last 20 years. Six psychology, IDD, religion, and health related journals were searched in addition to two data bases. Published empirical papers on religion, religiosity, spirituality, spiritual and/or religious care and people with IDD and related terms between 1990 and 2015 were identified and examined. Of the 57 publications identified, only 8.9% met the inclusion criteria and were reviewed. The five empirical papers included in this review were thematically analysed, yielding four main themes in relation to spiritual/religious care: ‘understanding of spiritual/religious concepts’; ‘support to participate in spiritual/religious activities’; ‘spiritual/religious practices in relation to self-identity’; and ‘barriers to spiritual/religious care provision’. This paper concludes that more empirical and original research in relation to the spiritual care of people with IDD residing in IDD care services is needed.