“Forgetting familiar faces”: Staff perceptions of dementia in people with intellectual disabilities [2018]
Accessible summary Dementia is an illness of the brain. It can make people forgetful and confused. We talked to staff about what it is like to support people with dementia. They told us that working with dementia is upsetting for family, friends and staff. AbstractBackgroundLiving with dementia is challenging, but
“I feel like just a normal person now”: An exploration of the perceptions of people with intellectual disabilities about what is important in the provision of positive behavioural support [2018]
Accessible Summary People with a learning disability do not always get good supportWe wanted to know what they thought about positive behavioural supportThey told us many important things about good and bad supportGood support included being treated as a human being, having a good and full life and being helped
A family’s battle to understand “challenging behaviour” [2017]
Purpose This is about the authors’ son James’ life. The purpose of this paper is to share a story of misfortune and a battle to find answers in which the greatest enemy was ignorance. Such experiences are not uncommon. It is the authors hope that sharing this will make some
A review of measures used in the screening, assessment and diagnosis of dementia in people with an intellectual disability – 2018
Background The increasing number of individuals with an intellectual disability who are at risk of developing dementia highlights the need to use measures with strong psychometric properties as part of the screening, assessment and diagnostic process. Method Searches were made of clinical and good practice guidelines and English language journal
A schoolwide approach to promoting student bystander behavior in response to the use of the word “retard” [2018]
Highlights • Students often use the r-word as an insult or joke toward their peers. • Students are more likely to intervene when they hear the r-word used as an insult. • Students do not understand the r-word is harmful even when not used as an insult. • Participation in a schoolwide inclusion program
A systematic review of the effectiveness of psychological approaches in the treatment of sex offenders with intellectual disabilities [2017]
Background Despite considerable advance and growth in the evidence base for psychological interventions as treatment for sex offenders with intellectual disabilities (ID), there remains limited evidence to support their effectiveness. This systematic review seeks to evaluate the effectiveness of psychological interventions on reducing reoffending rates for sex offenders with ID.
Access to mental health services: The experiences of people with intellectual disabilities [2018]
BackgroundPeople with intellectual disability experience higher rates of mental health disorders than the rest of the population, and expert opinion holds that multiple barriers prevent people with intellectual disability from accessing appropriate services. MethodsA qualitative study was designed to explore the lived experience of barriers and enablers to access to
Alcohol use disorders in people with intellectual disability – 2018
This article initially highlights that although the prevalence of alcohol use disorders in people with intellectual disability (PWID) appears to be low, it is a significant issue. This group can be more vulnerable to the adverse effects of alcohol and it is likely that many PWID who have alcohol use
An Independent Investigation Into the Psychometric Properties of the Adult Scale of Hostility and Aggression (A-SHARP) [2017]
Background: The Adult Scale of Hostility and Aggression (A-SHARP) rating scale assesses the frequency/severity (problem scale) and the reactive-proactive motivation (provocation scale) of aggressive behaviors in adults with intellectual disabilities (ID). Items are assigned to five subscales (Verbal Aggression, Physical Aggression, Hostile Affect, Covert Aggression, and Bullying). Although psychometric properties
An investigation of the determinants of quality of life in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome [2018]
Background Young people with Down syndrome experience varying abilities in activities of daily living, cognitive functioning, behaviour and social skills. The aim of this research was to investigate, from a carer’s perspective, the factors that influenced the quality of life of these young people. Methods Families of young people with
Applying Restrictive Measures in the Care of Adolescents With Mild Intellectual Disabilities: Attitudes of Support Staff and Policy Implications – 2018
Research suggests that restrictive measures are widely used on adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities. In the Netherlands, restrictive measures are defined as all measures that limit the freedom of a person. In most countries, legislation and policies that seek to reduce the use of restrictive measures focus on seclusion and
Associations Between Mental Health Problems and Challenging Behavior in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Test of the Behavioral Equivalents Hypothesis – 2018
Introduction: Current research findings in the field of intellectual disabilities (ID) regarding the relationship between mental health problems and challenging behavior are inconclusive and/or contradictory. The aim of this study was to further investigate the putative association between these two highly prevalent phenomena in people with ID, and specifically to
Associations Between Mental Health Problems and Challenging Behavior in Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Test of the Behavioral Equivalents Hypothesis – 2018-02
Introduction: Current research findings in the field of intellectual disabilities (ID) regarding the relationship between mental health problems and challenging behavior are inconclusive and/or contradictory. The aim of this study was to further investigate the putative association between these two highly prevalent phenomena in people with ID, and specifically to
Attitudes of health care professionals toward people with intellectual disability: a comparison with the general population [2018]
Background Few studies have examined attitudes that may promote the social inclusion of persons with an intellectual disability (ID) among health care providers (HCPs). Yet these attitudes could impact the accessibility and quality of services provided to this population, as well as the general attitudes of HCPs. The objectives of
Behavioral Characteristics of Individuals with Down Syndrome [2018]
Introduction: Children and young adults with Down syndrome can demonstrate increased behavior problems compared to their typically developing peers through childhood and adolescence. Though current tools measure behavior problems in persons with intellectual disabilities, they do not capture all the behavioral problems that can occur in individuals with Down syndrome.
Building workforce capacity in Australia and New Zealand: a profile of psychiatrists with an interest in intellectual and developmental disability mental health [2018]
Objective: To describe the characteristics of psychiatrists working in the area of intellectual and developmental disability mental health (IDDMH) across Australia and New Zealand. Methods: A secondary analysis of data collected by the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2014 workforce survey. Characteristics of the IDDMH workforce (n=146
Case study illustrations of a psychological treatment pathway in a secure intellectual disability service [2018]
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to describe in detail the treatment pathway utilised in a male medium and low secure intellectual disability (ID) service. Over the preceding five years, service users have followed the outlined treatment pathway. The current paper offers case study material to illustrate the care
Characteristics of Aggressive Behavior in People With Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disability and Co-Occurring Psychopathology – 2018
Introduction: People with intellectual disabilities and co-occurring psychopathology have a relatively high likelihood to engage in aggressive behavior. Nevertheless, structured clinical assessment of aggressive behavior, including when and where it occurs, is scarce in this population. Methods: On three wards specializing in the care for people with mild to borderline
Chemical restraint of adults with intellectual disability and challenging behaviour in Queensland, Australia: Views of statutory decision makers [2018]
Background: Psychotropic medication is widely prescribed to treat mental illness. However, it is controversial when used as a chemical restraint (CR) to manage challenging behaviours (CBs) of adults with intellectual disability (ID). CR has potentially negative consequences and affects human rights. Method: Qualitative research conducted between 2014 and 2015 explored
Comparison of Self- and Proxy Report of Mental Health Symptoms in People With Intellectual Disabilities – 2018-02
Mental illness, and its assessment and treatment, is a concern for caregivers and professionals working with people with intellectual disability (ID), as well as a cause of distress and disability for people with ID. Research in this area is hindered by difficulties associated with recognizing symptoms of mental illness and
Consensus statement of the International Summit on Intellectual Disability and Dementia on valuing the perspectives of persons with intellectual disability – 2018-01-17
The International Summit on Intellectual Disability and Dementia covered a range of issues related to dementia and intellectual disability, including the dearth of personal reflections of persons with intellectual disability affected by dementia. This article reflects on this deficiency and explores some of the personal perspectives gleaned from the literature,
Correlates of burnout among professionals working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities [2018]
Background Although burnout has been recognised as an important stress‐related problem among staff working with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), literature on the subject is limited yet emerging. The aim of this study is twofold: (1) to evaluate the level of burnout within different professions working with IDD;
Deliberate ingestion of foreign bodies as a form of self-harm among inpatients within forensic mental health and intellectual disability services [2018]
Deliberate foreign body ingestion is a significant issue in prison and psychiatric settings. It is associated with serious physical complications, including bowel obstruction, perforation and haemorrhage. Episodes of deliberate foreign body ingestion were identified retrospectively from 5417 incident records from two inpatient forensic services (one mental health and one intellectual
Developmental Disabilities Awareness in the Justice System Project – 2015-11-16
In its Knowledge Gap Analysis of Individuals with a Developmental Disability and Interactions with the Law, the Inter-ministerial Mental Health & Justice Committee identified a need to build capacity and share knowledge within the justice sector about people with developmental disabilities. This presentation will provide an overview of an ongoing project aimed at
Developmental Disabilities in the Justice System
The Community Networks of Specialized Care are pleased to have been selected to lead a provincial initiative to raise awareness of developmental disabilities in the criminal justice system. The initiative is in response to a knowledge gap identified by the Inter-Ministerial Mental Health and Justice Committee which is comprised of