Aspects of communication among people with intellectual disability andworkers in a residential social services facility

Abstract

The article investigates how clients with intellectual disability perceive trust,
communication, and relational effectiveness with workers in residential
social care facilities in the Nitra region of Slovakia. A total of 73 clients
participated in 2020, providing responses via structured questionnaires
designed to assess multiple dimensions of interpersonal interaction,
including trust, psychological safety, openness, empathy, problem-solving,
and approachability. The results indicate that overall trust toward workers
is moderate, with confidentiality being a particularly important factor,
especially for female clients. Perceptions of psychological safety revealed
that women generally feel more emotionally secure and supported in
communication, while men more often report fear or hesitation in expressing concerns. Regarding relational effectiveness, women tended to perceive workers as more approachable and validating of emotions, whereas men sometimes rated problem-solving and clarity higher, though differences were mostly not statistically significant. These findings highlight genderrelated patterns in perceptions of social care interactions and emphasize the importance of fostering trust, open communication, and emotional support in residential facilities.