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Empathy and theory of mind in offenders with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- PROCTOR Tracey, BEAIL Nigel
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 32(2), June 2007, pp.82-93.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Little research has been carried out on empathy and theory of mind in offenders with intellectual disability (ID) and these concepts are often poorly defined. Various models of empathy and theory of mind are discussed and scores on 2 empathy and 3 theory of mind tasks are compared for 25 offenders with ID and 25 non-offenders with ID (all male). Differences were found in empathy and theory of mind performance of offenders and non-offenders with ID. Offenders performed better than non-offenders on a second order theory of mind task and on emotion recognition. They required fewer prompts to mention emotions, and gave empathic/caring responses more often than non-offenders when observing happiness (but not sadness or anger). Results suggest that offenders with ID may have better, rather than poorer, empathy and theory of mind abilities than non-offenders, and that empathy training is therefore not indicated for this group.
The experience of detention under the Mental Health Act (1983)
- Authors:
- McNALLY Carolyn, BEAIL Nigel, KELLETT Stephen
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, 1(4), December 2007, pp.47-53.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
This study explored the experiences of detention under the Mental Health Act (1983) of people with learning disabilities. Seven semi-structured one-to-one interviews were analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis. Participants had mild learning disabilities and had been detained under the Mental Health Act in England for compulsory assessment and treatment within a two-year period prior to the study. A number of valuable insights emerged, including: the impact of perceived lack of control over self, experiences of vulnerability/powerlessness/victimisation (both prior to and following detention), participant's sense of care versus punishment; the development of 'role' within the mental health system and attribution of blame.
The dose-effect relationship in psychodynamic psychotherapy with people with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- BEAIL Nigel, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(5), September 2007, pp.448-454.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Although there is an established body of evidence attesting to the dose–effect relationship in psychotherapy with non-disabled adults, the issue as to whether such a relationship exists for persons with intellectual disabilities has not been previously examined. Dose–effect essentially concerns the amount of psychotherapy required to produce positive results. The current study used a naturalistic design to examine and compare the outcomes of three groups of participants with co-morbid psychological problems undergoing treatments of differing lengths (i.e. ‘doses’) with psychodynamic psychotherapy. Three measures of psychopathology were completed at assessment and at subsequent eight-session intervals until the conclusion of treatment. Each patient received a 3-month follow-up appointment, at which time the measures were again completed. Three treatment duration groups were subsequently constructed and compared via anova: eight sessions (n = 8), 16 sessions (n = 5) and 24 plus sessions (n = 7). Results were supportive of a dose–effect relationship, in that outcomes were generally equivalent regardless of treatment duration. It is concluded that most change appears to occur in the first eight sessions of treatment, with subsequent outcomes trailing off over time. The clinical implications of the study are discussed in the context of the methodological limitations identified.