Exploring the Touch Encounters of Individuals with Profound and Multiple Learning Disabilities (PMLD) at School: Comparing In-Person with Video Observations

The touch encounters of individuals with PMLD are an under-researched area. The limited and dated research from nursing and social care acknowledges that people with PMLD are likely to encounter high levels of touch throughout their lives. Of these touches, a greater amount will be “procedural” or “functional” (task-oriented) touches than “expressive”. An exploratory case study approach was used. In-person and video observations generated quantitative and qualitative data on and by, two teenage participants labelled as having PMLD. An adapted observation schedule on touch encounters was used. Perspectives captured during the video observations resulted in variations in the touch experiences when compared to in-person observation. These findings are discussed considering relevant theories and research. Findings suggested the use of a body-worn camera as a non-invasive approach to gathering information from the participants with PMLD, whilst also facilitating a more participatory role for people with PMLD in research.