Significant therapy events with clients with intellectual disabilities

• Published in: Advances in mental health and intellectual disabilities Vol. 12; no. 5/6; pp. 173 - 183
• Main Authors: Wills, Sarah, Robbins, Lorna, Ward, Tony, Christopher, Gary
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hove Emerald Publishing Limited 07-11-2018; Emerald Group Publishing Limited
• Subjects: Annual Reports; Behavior modification; Case Studies; Cognition & reasoning; Cognitive science; Control Groups; Effect Size; Emotional Development; Emotions; Evidence; Fidelity; Group psychotherapy; Group therapy; Health Needs; Intellectual disabilities; Intellectual Disability; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Learning Disabilities; Meaning; Meditation; Mental health; Metacognition; Modeling (Psychology); Paternalism; Psychological Patterns; Psychology; Psychotherapy; Resistance (Psychology); Stimulus; Therapeutic alliances; Therapists; Therapy; Uniqueness; Psychological therapy; Interpretative phenomenological analysis; Significant therapy events; Qualitative; Intellectual disabilities; Mental health
• ISSN: 2044-1282; 2044-1290
• DOI: 10.1108/AMHID-07-2018-0033

Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore significant events in psychotherapy with clients with intellectual disabilities (IDs).
Design/methodology/approach
Four therapy dyads, each consisting of one client and one therapist, were recruited. Following the brief structured recall procedure (Elliott and Shapiro, 1988), semi-structured interviews focused on helpful events in psychotherapy, using video of particular sessions as a stimulus to help prompt recall of that session.
Findings
Using interpretative phenomenological analysis, five super-ordinate themes were identified: “The Uniqueness of the Therapeutic Relationship”; “Using adaptations to Express Emotions”; “Client Behaviour/Therapist Behaviour”; “Hope and Paternalism”; and “Meaning-Making”. The results provide additional evidence that significant therapy events occur for clients with IDs. Furthermore, the research enabled insights to be gained about the process of therapy for this client group and for exploration of therapeutic factors that may be involved in facilitating a significant therapy event.
Research limitations/implications
This study highlights the need for therapists to work in such a way as to facilitate significant events in therapy. Whilst this study was a necessary first step, owing to the non-existence of research in this area, the sample size and qualitative design may limit any wider generalisation of the findings.
Originality/value
Significant events have not previously been explored in psychotherapy with clients with IDs. This research could therefore make an important contribution to our understanding of the process of psychotherapy for this client group.