Supporting people with intellectual disabilities in psychological therapies for depression: A qualitative analysis of supporters’ experiences

Scott, Katie; Hatton, Chris; Knight, Rosie; Singer, K.; Knowles, Dawn; Dagnan, Dave; Hastings, Richard P.; Appleton, Kim; Cooper, Sally‐Ann; Melville, Craig; Jones, Rob; Williams, Christopher J.; Jahoda, Andrew

doi:10.1111/jar.12529

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…This finding is in line with previous recommendations that posit that face-to-face therapy for people with intellectual disabilities should seek to involve relatives or support staff (e.g. Jahoda et al 2017, Scott et al 2019.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Experiences of therapists conducting psychological assessments and video conferencing therapy sessions with people with mild intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Oudshoorn

Frielink

Riper³

et al. 2021

International Journal of Developmental Disabilities

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Background. Due to the restrictive measures introduced to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic, therapists working with people with mild intellectual disabilities have had to use video conferencing to continue to conduct their psychological assessments and therapy sessions. This qualitative study explored therapists' experiences of using video conferencing during the initial lockdown period in the Netherlands. Method. In total, seven therapists working at a service organisation supporting people with intellectual disabilities participated in this qualitative study (M ¼ 34.4 years; SD ¼ 6.0, range: 26-42). The therapists documented their experiences via audio recordings, which were subsequently analysed using thematic analysis. Results. Five themes emerged: 1) An immediate transition to virtual working; 2) Developing virtual ways to support service users in both coping with COVID-19 related stress and with continuing therapy; 3) Lacking the appropriate equipment; 4) Limitations in virtually attuning to people with mild intellectual disabilities; and 5) Unforeseen opportunities for distance-based psychological assessments and therapy. Conclusions. This study provides valuable insights into the experiences of therapists using video conferencing to support people with mild intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. These insights can help inform clinical practice with respect to the use of video conferencing for psychological assessment and therapy with people with mild intellectual disabilities.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Experiences of therapists conducting psychological assessments and video conferencing therapy sessions with people with mild intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Oudshoorn

Frielink

Riper³

et al. 2021

International Journal of Developmental Disabilities

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…These findings complement the views of individuals with an intellectual disability and their supporters about the delivery of the BeatIt and StepUp therapies as part of the trial (Knight et al, 2019; Scott et al, 2019). The thoughtfulness shown by the therapists who engaged in this study was consistent with the excellent fidelity ratings they obtained (Jahoda, Hastings, et al, 2017).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 69%

“…Both interventions were associated with positive change at 12‐month follow‐up. The trial included nested qualitative studies concerning views and experiences of the participants with intellectual disabilities (Knight et al, 2019), their supporters (Scott et al, 2019), therapists and supervisors. This study concerns the therapists' experiences of delivering the BeatIt and StepUp interventions as part of the trial.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The experiences of therapists providing psychological treatment for adults with depression and intellectual disabilities as part of a randomised controlled trial

Smith

Huws

Appleton

et al. 2021

Research Intellect Disabil

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Background Health professionals were trained to deliver adapted psychological interventions for depression to people with learning disabilities and depression alongside a supporter. Exploring the delivery of psychological interventions can help increase access to therapy. Method Twenty‐seven participants took part in six focus groups, and the data were subject to a Framework Analysis. Results The structure and focus of the manualised therapies, and the use of specific techniques were perceived as key to service‐user engagement. Supporters' involvement was valued by therapists if they had a good relationship and regular contact with the individual they supported. Regular clinical supervision was regarded as vital in understanding their role, assessing progress and delivering the interventions. Conclusions The findings highlight that health professionals can embrace a focussed therapeutic role and increase access to psychological therapies for people with intellectual disabilities.

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“…Of note is that findings about supporters are in contrast to other research; for example, there have been reports that people with ID who attended anger management groups with their supporter had better outcomes than those that attended alone (Wilner, Willner 2006). More recently, supporters felt they actively contributed to intervention effectiveness with people with ID and depression (Scott et al 2018), which may point towards the role of supporters being key, with possible cost-effectiveness benefits (Edwards et al 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mixed Experiences of a Mindfulness-Informed Intervention: Voices from People with Intellectual Disabilities, Their Supporters, and Therapists

Griffith

Hastings

Williams³

et al. 2019

Mindfulness

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Objectives Mindfulness-based programs have been delivered to people with intellectual disabilities (ID) and aggressive behaviour with some success. The current study is part of a wider feasibility study, which aimed to test the adaptation of the Soles of the Feet (SoF) meditation practice to a six-session, one-to-one intervention delivered within the UK National Health Service. It was designed for adults with ID to help reduce their aggressive behaviour. Methods Eighteen stakeholders were interviewed from three groups: (1) people with ID who took part in the intervention, (2) their supporters, and (3) therapists who delivered the intervention. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results The intervention had high acceptability among participants, although they reported mixed outcomes, these outcomes aligned closely with reports on effectiveness from supporters and therapists. Some people with ID and their supporters reported positive changes, such as reduced aggression, increased sociability, and higher quality of life. Some participants reported no change. Conclusions Four participants and their supporters reported clear benefits from the SoF intervention. For the three that did not report benefits, this appeared to be related to whether the person with ID understood the intervention and/or were motivated to reduce their aggressive behaviour. There was also evidence of supporters needing more direct instruction on how to facilitate the SoF intervention with the person they care for. Suggestions for future research are made, and clinical implications explored.

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Supporting people with intellectual disabilities in psychological therapies for depression: A qualitative analysis of supporters’ experiences

Cited by 14 publications

References 18 publications

Experiences of therapists conducting psychological assessments and video conferencing therapy sessions with people with mild intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

Experiences of therapists conducting psychological assessments and video conferencing therapy sessions with people with mild intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

The experiences of therapists providing psychological treatment for adults with depression and intellectual disabilities as part of a randomised controlled trial

Mixed Experiences of a Mindfulness-Informed Intervention: Voices from People with Intellectual Disabilities, Their Supporters, and Therapists

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