Embodied socio-affective learning in adults with intellectual disabilities: an educational intervention based on consent practices and personal boundaries

The development of socio-affective competencies represents a key dimension of inclusive education, particularly in educational work with young adults with intellectual disabilities and mild autism spectrum conditions, who may experience difficulties in interpreting interpersonal boundaries, consent and socially shared norms (Schaafsma et al., 2015; McDaniels & Fleming, 2016). Research on social and emotional learning highlights the importance of fostering relational awareness and social competencies as fundamental components of educational processes (Durlak et al., 2011). Studies on embodied cognition further suggest that experiential and body-based learning environments may support the understanding of relational concepts that are often difficult to grasp through purely verbal instruction (Wilson, 2002; Shapiro & Stolz, 2019). This contribution presents a practice-based educational intervention aimed at promoting awareness of personal space, consent and the distinction between public and private behaviours through an embodied socio-affective learning approach. The intervention takes the form of an experiential workshop involving young adults with intellectual disabilities and engaging participants in movement-based activities and guided interaction designed to explore relational boundaries and socially shared behavioural norms. The study adopts a small-scale qualitative exploratory design based on a structured observation protocol. Data are collected through systematic observation grids and narrative field notes compiled by external non-participant observers. A thematic analysis is conducted to identify patterns related to awareness of personal space, understanding of consent and recognition of socially shared behavioural norms. Preliminary observations suggest that embodied and situational learning environments may facilitate the understanding of relational concepts such as consent and privacy through concrete relational experiences. Positioned at the intersection of educational foundations and special education, the study highlights the pedagogical potential of embodied socio-affective learning for fostering relational awareness and social competence in inclusive educational contexts.