Transformers: a programme for people with an intellectual disability and emotion regulation difficulties

Abstract

Purpose – The Transformers programme is a community-based intervention for people with an intellectual disability (ID) who have emotion regulation difficulties, which can manifest as aggressive and challenging behaviour. The programme was adapted from the Stepping Stones programme (Oxnam and Gardner, 2011) – an emotion regulation programme for offenders with an ID who live in an inpatient setting. The purpose of this paper is to describe the development of the Transformers programme that has been implemented at an ID service, which provides secure and supervised care to people who have been convicted of an imprisonable offence or have high and complex behaviour needs. Design/methodology/approach – The Transformers programme is delivered in weekly sessions over a six-month period in a group format. The focus is on helping group members to develop skills in recognising and understanding negative emotions and learning skills to cope effectively with such emotions. Treatment covers a variety of modules including relaxation, goal setting, chain analysis, emotion recognition, and emotion regulation. Specific strategies used include role-plays, DVDs, and quizzes. Findings – This paper presents the rationale, developmental history, and description of a specific approach to the treatment of emotion regulation difficulties. Originality/value – The paper aims to inform health professionals working in the field of ID.

Enhancing Adolescent's Emotion Regulation with Dialectical Behavior Therapy's Skill Training: The Applications across Borderline, Mild, and Moderate Intellectual Disability

“…Among them is on the social skill, where it is found that emotion regulation enforces for the formation of social competences in adolescents for short-term and long-term gain [5]. This comes from the fact that the basis of emotion regulation is the ability to distinguish the type of emotion [6], where this capacity allows individuals to behave accordingly. Those who are more aware of their emotional state will be easier to regulate their emotional experience [7].…”

An evaluation of an emotion regulation programme for people with an intellectual disability

“…The programme seeks to increase participants' abilities to recognise emotions and develop strategies to regulate difficult emotions, particularly anger, sadness, and worry (see McWilliams et al, 2014 for a description of the Transformers programme). Strategies that are taught include: relaxation (e.g.…”

“…Transformers is a group-based treatment programme for people with an ID that is based on a cognitive-behavioural approach and includes dialectical-behaviour therapy principles and techniques which have also been shown to be effective with people with an ID (Sakdalan and Collier, 2012;Sakdalan et al, 2010). The programme seeks to increase participants' abilities to recognise emotions and develop strategies to regulate difficult emotions, particularly anger, sadness, and worry (see McWilliams et al, 2014 for a description of the Transformers programme). Strategies that are taught include: relaxation (e.g.…”