Trauma-focussed cognitive-behaviour therapy for people with mild intellectual disabilities: outcomes of a pilot study

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities,Volume 10, Issue 5, September 2016. Purpose Trauma-focussed cognitive-behaviour therapy (TF-CBT) is the most effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Individuals who present with complex PTSD are among the most complex and challenging patients seen by intellectual disability psychology and psychiatry services. This was a pilot study of a TF-CBT intervention for people with intellectual disabilities and complex PTSD. Design/methodology/approach Three groups of adults with learning disabilities presenting with complex PTSD (n=3, n=5 and n=4) were treated using a 12-week manualised intervention adapted from a procedure routinely used in adult mental health services. Participants completed the Impact of Event Scale as adapted for people with intellectual disabilities (IES-ID) before and after the intervention, and interviews conducted to ascertain their experiences of the group were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).
Findings The ten participants who completed the intervention showed a 27% decrease in median IES-ID scores, equivalent to a medium effect size (d=0.50). Five themes were identified from the interviews: being listened to; it ’s nice to know you’re not the only one; being in a group can be stressful; the importance of feeling safe; achieving and maintaining change. Participants also provided constructive feedback to promote improvements to the manual. ...

Source: Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities - October 27, 2016 Category: Disability Source Type: research