Digital mental health and intellectual disabilities: state of the evidence and future directions

Abstract

The use of digital technologies in the management of mental illness, and more generally in the promotion of well-being and mental health, has received much recent attention and is a focus of current health policy. We conducted a narrative review to explore the opportunities and risks of digital technologies in mental healthcare specifically for people with intellectual disability, a sometimes marginalised and socially excluded group. The scope of digital mental health is vast and the promise of cheaper and more effective interventions delivered digitally is attractive. People with intellectual disability experience high rates of mental illness and could benefit from the development of novel therapies, yet seem to have been relatively neglected in the discourse around digital mental health and are often excluded from the development and implementation of new interventions. People with intellectual disability encounter several barriers to fully embracing digital technology, which may be overcome with appropriate support and adaptations. A small, but growing, literature attests to the value of incorporating digital technologies into the lives of people with intellectual disability, not only for promoting health but also for enhancing educational, vocational and leisure opportunities. Clearly further evidence is needed to establish the safety and clinical efficacy of digital mental health interventions for people with and without intellectual disability. A digital inclusion strategy that explicitly addresses the needs of people with intellectual disability would ensure that all can share the benefits of the digital world.

HabITec: A Sociotechnical Space for Promoting the Application of Technology to Rehabilitation

“…Technology and the digital environment can connect people to each other regardless of their geographical location, cultural background, or other demographic differences. Despite the known presence of a 'digital divide' [1], Diamandis and Kotler [2] predicted that technology would bring abundance for all people and would allow us to solve the most complex problems in society. Indeed, people with all types of disabilities are now engaging with technology at unprecedented levels, making the application of technology to rehabilitation more feasible than ever before and offering vastly expanded opportunities to many people [3].…”

“…Indeed, people with all types of disabilities are now engaging with technology at unprecedented levels, making the application of technology to rehabilitation more feasible than ever before and offering vastly expanded opportunities to many people [3]. Some emerging technologies have the potential to radically transform rehabilitation through targeted, autonomous, and potentially inexpensive interventions [1].…”

“…When it works well, technology can be a seamless and integrated aspect of our lifestyle, woven into the fabric of society and capable of emancipating a large group of people who have been disabled by existing environments [4]. Access to technology is an important indicator of community integration, with Australian Bureau of Statistics 1 showing that more than 90% of Australians accessing the internet by a smartphone or laptop. Not surprisingly, people receiving rehabilitation are no less connected to technology.…”

A Rehabilitation Gaming System for Cognitive Deficiencies: Design and Usability Evaluation

“…Considering the discussion above, there is ample room to enhance the quality of life of patients with brain injury [8], [9]. Technological advances and the use of Serious Games for rehabilitation brings about many benefits and fulfills stakeholder needs in various ways [10].…”

The opportunities and challenges of serious games for people with an intellectual disability

“…ID is a significant life‐long experience that has three components: (1) reduced ability to understand new or complex information or learn new skills (in global rather than specific areas); (2) reduced ability to cope independently; (3) onset before adulthood (before age 18) with a lasting effect on the individual's development. People with ID experience high levels of exclusion, including digital exclusion (Darcy, Maxwell, & Green, ), such that uptake of technology by people with ID is considered to be substantially less than within the mainstream population (Sheehan & Hassiotis, ). Reasons for this are multiple, however, accessibility is a fundamental one.…”