Adapting Psychological Therapies for Individuals With Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review

TL;DR

This review identifies how psychotherapies are adapted for people with intellectual disabilities to improve engagement and communication.

Contribution

The paper introduces a framework of six adaptation categories for psychotherapy tailored to individuals with intellectual disabilities.

Findings

Six key adaptation categories were identified, including multisensory methods and communication adjustments.

Adaptations aim to increase engagement and improve communication between clients and clinicians.

More large-scale studies are needed to assess the effectiveness of these adaptations.

Abstract

The aim of this systematic review was to identify how psychotherapies have been adapted to suit the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. A comprehensive literature search garnered 39,777 studies, which were screened for eligibility. Systematic searches, following PRISMA guidelines, identified 122 studies that met eligibility criteria, and findings were synthesised using framework synthesis. Six overarching adaptation categories were identified: (1) multisensory methods, (2) activities, (3) communication, (4) delivery medium, (5) additional support and (6) structure. Adaptations were primarily used to increase engagement, promote retention of information and improve communication between clients and clinicians. While a group of adaptations that aimed to improve the acceptability and accessibility of psychotherapy for people with intellectual disabilities were identified, larger studies are required to understand their efficacy.

People with intellectual disabilities have been historically neglected in both research and practice, which hindered the development and use of psychotherapy with this population.Psychotherapy must be adapted for people with intellectual disabilities; however, the nature and degree of these adaptations and their effectiveness remains unclear.We reviewed the literature and developed a psychotherapy adaptation framework.

People with intellectual disabilities have been historically neglected in both research and practice, which hindered the development and use of psychotherapy with this population.

Psychotherapy must be adapted for people with intellectual disabilities; however, the nature and degree of these adaptations and their effectiveness remains unclear.

We reviewed the literature and developed a psychotherapy adaptation framework.

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