Abstract:This paper summarises the main areas of therapeutic developments in recent years in the field of learning disability. There has been a growing interest in alternative ways of helping learning‐disabled people live with themselves and the world in a socially acceptable way. Most such approaches are person‐centred, even if provided in a group setting. The range and types of therapies are illustrated and the advances in humanistic approaches highlighted. Cognitive, psychodynamic and creative therapies have been ad… Show more
“…1983) so consider using role modelling exercises, videos, repetition, drawings and photographs etc. to support learning and understanding (Frankish & Terry 2003; Lindsay et al. 1993; Rose et al.…”
Accessible summary• People with learning disabilities are more likely to experience sexual things happening to them when they do not want them to. This is called sexual abuse. • A group was started to help some women who have been sexually abused.• Women who wanted to attend the group were given information about it and asked on three separate occasions if they wanted to attend. Their carers helped them and went to a different group upstairs in the same building. • We found that the group helped the women feel less scared and depressed and helped the women's carers understand them better. • This research matters because it helped the women move on with their lives and will help others who want to start a group.
SummaryIn his capacity as a Clinical Psychologist the author provides psychological support to people with learning disabilities living in hospital and in the community. Frequently, the problem behaviour highlighted in referral letters (such as sexualized behaviour, anger management or self-harm) is formulated as relating to a past history of abuse and neglect which they had experienced. In view of increasing client referrals and a limited research literature the author established a small team, developed and then piloted a survivors' group for women with a learning disability. The pilot achieved ethical approval and the survivors' group ran concurrently with an educational support group for their carers. For more details about this pilot study see Peckham (2005) Developing, delivering and evaluating a survivors group pilot in Northumberland for women with significant learning disabilities who have been sexually abused. Unpublished DClinPsych Thesis, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne; and Peckham et al. (2007). These articles summarize the research literature in the area of sexual abuse and describe, in detail, the problem of delivering and evaluating a survivors' group for women with learning disabilities.
“…1983) so consider using role modelling exercises, videos, repetition, drawings and photographs etc. to support learning and understanding (Frankish & Terry 2003; Lindsay et al. 1993; Rose et al.…”
Accessible summary• People with learning disabilities are more likely to experience sexual things happening to them when they do not want them to. This is called sexual abuse. • A group was started to help some women who have been sexually abused.• Women who wanted to attend the group were given information about it and asked on three separate occasions if they wanted to attend. Their carers helped them and went to a different group upstairs in the same building. • We found that the group helped the women feel less scared and depressed and helped the women's carers understand them better. • This research matters because it helped the women move on with their lives and will help others who want to start a group.
SummaryIn his capacity as a Clinical Psychologist the author provides psychological support to people with learning disabilities living in hospital and in the community. Frequently, the problem behaviour highlighted in referral letters (such as sexualized behaviour, anger management or self-harm) is formulated as relating to a past history of abuse and neglect which they had experienced. In view of increasing client referrals and a limited research literature the author established a small team, developed and then piloted a survivors' group for women with a learning disability. The pilot achieved ethical approval and the survivors' group ran concurrently with an educational support group for their carers. For more details about this pilot study see Peckham (2005) Developing, delivering and evaluating a survivors group pilot in Northumberland for women with significant learning disabilities who have been sexually abused. Unpublished DClinPsych Thesis, University of Newcastle, Newcastle upon Tyne; and Peckham et al. (2007). These articles summarize the research literature in the area of sexual abuse and describe, in detail, the problem of delivering and evaluating a survivors' group for women with learning disabilities.
“…Systemic therapy is increasingly used with families who have a member with intellectual disabilities (ID) (Fidell, 2000;Frankish and Terry, 2003;Vetere, 1993). In turn solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), an approach associated with and popular within family therapy (Lee, 1997;Letham, 2002;Wheeler, 2001), is also beginning to be explored in ID services.…”
This exploratory paper aimed to shed light on the experience of first session solution‐focused brief therapy (SFBT) for families who have a child with intellectual disabilities (ID). The therapist interviewed the participants, all mothers, two weeks after their initial session. The Helpful Aspects of Therapy Questionnaire (Llewelyn, 1988) was used with structured recall (Elliot and Shapiro, 1988), a procedure in which participants listen to excerpts from their therapeutic sessions identified by them as helpful or unhelpful. Interview transcripts were analysed by the therapist using interpretive phenomenological analysis (Smith, 2003).
Three superordinate themes emerged from the interviews: (1) SFBT brought to mind the idea of ‘making the best of it’. (2) Examination of wishful thinking. (3) Therapeutic relationship. In addition, self‐efficacy recurred as a sub‐theme throughout. The ‘miracle question’ was perceived as irrelevant by the mothers and was the most frequently cited unhelpful event. It also seemed to be associated with shifts in wishful thinking. These mothers' experiences suggest that SFBT is a useful structure for first sessions particularly as it seems to build a useful therapeutic relationship, highlights self‐efficacy and may encourage helpful coping styles.
“…This person-centred approach placed him and his interests at the centre of my individual work and the wider work with his service and those around him. The values that underpinned this work are therefore close to the characteristics to the core conditions of therapycongruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy - (Thomas & Woods 2003) and modern psychotherapeutic approaches to working with people with learning disabilities (Cottis 2009;Frankish & Terry 2003;Willner 2005).…”
Section: Methods and Principlesmentioning
confidence: 88%
“…This person‐centred approach placed him and his interests at the centre of my individual work and the wider work with his service and those around him. The values that underpinned this work are therefore close to the characteristics to the core conditions of therapy – congruence, unconditional positive regard and empathy – (Thomas & Woods ) and modern psychotherapeutic approaches to working with people with learning disabilities (Cottis ; Frankish & Terry ; Willner ).‘When using a person‐centred approach there are core conditions that are considered essential in promoting change. As supporters, workers, nurses or social workers we are clearly not therapists; nevertheless, the knowledge and use of the core conditions is both relevant and recognisable and should underpin our work' (Thomas & Woods , p. 153).…”
Accessible summary
Some men with learning disabilities have a sexual fetish which may present a support challenge for staff or carers.
Sexual fetish in people with learning disabilities is often ignored, seen as pathological or associated with risk.
It is possible to support sexual fetish in person‐centred ways which respect individual rights and informed choice.
Summary
This paper reports on a psycho‐educational intervention associated with the sexual fetish of a man with mild learning disability and autism which centred on his use of nappies and baby paraphernalia. It outlines the nature and expression of his sexual fetish and the risks perceived to be associated with it and describes the approach developed to support him, including the aims which underpinned the work and the methods and processes employed. It was found that a person‐centred psycho‐educational approach from a rights based perspective achieved important changes in his life and self‐esteem and helped challenge assumptions about his sexual risk. The paper also reflects on the organisational location of this work and identifies the applied learning for supporting the sexual fetish of people with learning disabilities, of value for informing sex education and sexuality support for people with learning disabilities more widely.
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