Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
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The pattern of alcohol consumption within a sample of mentally handicapped people in Tayside
- Authors:
- LAWRENCE Helen, LINDSAY William R., WALKER Phyllis
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Handicap Research, 8(1), 1995, pp.54-59.
- Publisher:
- BIMH Publications
The drinking pattern occurring amongst people with learning difficulties in Dundee was investigated. The main conclusions are that fewer individuals actually reported drinking alcohol and fewer weekly units are consumed, than is found in the general population. A need for general alcohol education was identified since only one-third of the sample appreciated the potential dangers associated with alcohol and none knew, specifically, what these dangers might be.
Exploratory factor analysis and convergent validity of the Dundee Provocation Inventory
- Authors:
- ALDER Lucy, LINDSAY William R.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 32(3), September 2007, pp.190-199.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The prevalence and consequences of anger and aggression in people with intellectual disability (ID) are of great concern. It is essential that appropriate assessment tools are developed to aid formulation of treatments and to evaluate progress and outcomes. This study evaluates the Dundee Provocation Inventory (DPI), a 20-item assessment measure for anger provocation. A group of 114 participants were administered the DPI, and 62 of these were also administered the Novaco Anger Scale (NAS) and NAS Provocation Inventory (NAS-PI), two well-validated measures. Preliminary analysis revealed that the DPI correlated significantly with the NAS and NAS-PI. The DPI had high internal consistency and moderate to high inter-item and item-to-total score correlations. Factor analysis revealed a 5-factor solution which accounted for 63% of the variance and was most easily interpreted. The analysis suggests that the DPI is a suitable tool for assessing anger in people with ID. Further replication of the factor structure would be valuable.
Internal consistency and factor structure of personality disorders in a forensic intellectual disability sample
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 32(2), June 2007, pp.134-142.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
The publication of the DSM-III (American Psychiatric Association (APA), 1980) prompted a significant increase in interest and research on personality disorder (PD), and the concept has subsequently been incorporated into mental health legislation in the developed world. Despite this, such research on people with intellectual disability (ID) has been sporadic, with widely varying results. The present study addresses a number of criticisms directed at previous research. DSM-IV (APA, 2000) diagnoses of PD were made on 164 participants with ID on the basis of four independent sources of classification. Reliability data for each PD was acceptable and alpha was .74 or above, with the exception of schizotypal PD (.63). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted, with the former revealing a 4-factor solution accounting for 58.9% of the variance, and a 2-factor solution accounting for 37.2% of the variance emerging for the latter. The factors were orthogonal, and the first factor was named "avoidant/rumination/inhibited" and the second factor "acting out". The authors review these findings in relation to previous research on PD and alternative frameworks for the understanding of personality. It is hypothesised consistencies between these findings and previous work on personality and ID. A number of drawbacks to the research are discussed, including a caution on the pejorative nature of a diagnosis of PD in an already devalued population.
Alcohol and its relationship to offence variables in a cohort of offenders with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 38(4), 2013, pp.325-331.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: Alcohol use and misuse may be lower in people with intellectual disability (ID) than in the general population but may be related to offending. Method: Alcohol-related crime and history of alcohol use was recorded in 477 participants with ID referred to forensic ID services and related to offending. Results: Level of alcohol-related crime and history of alcohol misuse was lower than in some previous studies at 5.9% and 20.8%, respectively. History of alcohol abuse was associated with alcohol-related offences and theft. Higher rates of alcohol problem history were associated with histories of a number of offences, psychiatric disturbance in adulthood, psychiatric disturbance in childhood, and experiences of childhood adversity. Most effect sizes were weak or moderate. Conclusions: The convergence of childhood adversity, psychiatric problems in childhood and adulthood, and alcohol abuse is consistent with studies that have found these as risk markers for offending. (Publisher abstract)
The impact of known criminogenic factors on offenders with intellectual disability: previous findings and new results on ADHD
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 26(1), 2013, pp.71-80.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
It is well established that child development factors are important in relation to the development of criminal behaviour. Research on developmental risk factors for offenders with intellectual disability has found similar trends. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and conduct disorder are developmental disorders known to be over-represented among criminal populations when compared to the general population. The aim of this study was to investigate the extent to which ADHD affects the presentation of offenders with intellectual disability. The data was drawn from the Northumbria/Cambridge/Abertay Pathways (NCAP) Project. Information related to index behaviour, history of problem behaviours, childhood adversity and psychiatric diagnoses was recorded in 477 adults who had been referred to forensic intellectual disability services. Comparisons were made between those with a previous diagnosis of ADHD and those without. The findings showed that the ADHD group had higher proportions of physical aggression, substance use, previous problems including aggression, sexual offences and property offences, birth problems and abuse in childhood. The article concludes that ADHD with conduct disorder is associated with a greater degree and history of problematic behaviour in offenders with intellectual disability.
The Beck Depression Inventory II and the Beck Anxiety Inventory in people with Intellectual Disabilities: Factor analyses and group data
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., SKENE Danielle D.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(5), September 2007, pp.401-408.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
There have been several developments in research on emotional disorders in people with intellectual disability (ID). Although a large amount of work has been completed in mainstream clinical fields on the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and the Beck Depression Inventory – 2nd Edition (BDI-II), to date there has been little work completed on people with ID. This paper presents several analyses that provide information on the psychometric properties of the BAI and the BDI-II. Data on subsamples of the total cohort are also presented. Both assessments were appropriately revised for use with persons with ID and individually administered. A sample of 108 participants from inpatient and community settings completed the assessments. In supplementary analyses, several subsamples of anxiety referrals, depression referrals, sex offenders, other types of offenders, men and women are also presented. The joint factor analyses of the BAI and BDI-II revealed a two factor solution corresponding closely to a depression and anxiety factor. Results from further factor analyses independently demonstrated that the BAI had three factors corresponding to cognitive–subjective anxiety, somatic temperature and somatic balance symptoms. The BDI-II exhibited a three factor structure: cognitive self, cognitive-affective/loss of functioning and somatic symptoms. In the supplementary analyses anxiety referrals had significantly higher scores on the BAI, depression referrals higher scores on the BDI, sex offenders are significantly lower scores on both the BAI and BDI than other groups. The factor structure of the BAI and BDI conforms specifically to those found in research with the general population. Result suggests that both assessments can be used reliably with individuals who have ID.
A treatment component designed to enhance empathy in sex offenders with an intellectual disability
- Authors:
- MICHIE Amanda M., LINDSAY William R.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Forensic Practice, 14(1), 2012, pp.40-48.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
The authors describe the introduction of a component designed to enhance empathy into an established cognitive behavioural treatment program for sexual offenders with an intellectual disability. The treatment group (n=10, mean age 36.4 years, average IQ 65.8) received an empathy component and was compared with a control group. The study employed a cognitive behaviour approach in a group setting. The empathy enhancing treatment consisted of six sessions over eight weeks aiming to expose participants to the cognitive, emotional and behavioural experiences of victims. Therapeutic efficacy was assessed pre- and post-treatment and at 3, 6 and 9-month follow-up using the interpersonal reactivity index which assesses fantasy, perspective taking, empathic concern, and personal distress experienced due to others' misfortune. There were no significant differences between treatment and control groups at baseline. For the treatment group, significant differences were identified between pre, post and three-month follow-up assessments indicating an increased empathy at post-treatment assessment. The treatment group had significantly improved over the controls. The authors conclude that empathy responses can be included in a programme for sex offenders with ID however they point to a number of limitations of the study. Increased empathetic responses may improve self-regulation.
Two studies on the prevalence and validity of personality disorder in three forensic intellectual disability samples
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Forensic Psychiatry and Psychology (The), 17(3), September 2006, pp.485-505.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
There is an extensive research literature on the association between personality disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and risk of future violent and sexual offences. Several studies have found an elevated prevalence of personality disorder diagnoses amongst those individuals with severe mental illness and criminal populations. While there has been some work on the prevalence of personality disorder among intellectual disability populations, it has been criticised as being unreliable and inconsistent. The present authors have taken account of these criticisms and recommendations in this comparison of 164 offenders with intellectual disability across three settings – community, medium/low secure, and high secure. In Study 1, DSM-IV diagnoses were made on the basis of four information sources: file review, interview with clinician, observations by care staff, and the Structured Assessment of Personality Interview. Across the samples, total prevalence of PD was 39.3%. The most common diagnosis was antisocial personality disorder. There was a higher rate of diagnosis in the high security setting, with no significant differences between the other two settings. There was no diagnosis of dependent PD, indicating that assessors were not overly influenced by the developmental disability itself. In Study 2 it was found that increase in severity of PD (as indicated by PCL-R scores and/or the number of PD diagnoses) showed a strong lawful relationship with instruments predicting future violence (VRAG, RM 2000/V) and a weaker relationship with instruments predicting future sexual offences (Static-99, RM 2000/S). The results indicate the utility of PD classification in this client group and that a number of individuals with PD classification are being managed successfully in community settings. These findings have considerable implications for staffing, both in terms of which individuals can be treated by these services and staff training.
Response patterns on the questionnaire on attitudes consistent with sexual offending in groups of sex offenders with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 19(1), March 2006, pp.47-53.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This report employs a recently developed assessment on attitudes consistent with sexual offending [Questionnaire on Attitudes Consistent with Sexual Offences (QACSO)] to compare different groups of sex offenders with intellectual disability. Two studies are reported each from a different region and each conducted by different individuals. Study 1 compared 12 sex offenders against adults with 12 offenders against children. The six-scale version of the QACSO was administered including rape and attitudes to women, voyeurism, exhibitionism, dating abuse, homosexual assault and offences against children. Study 2 employed three groups of 10 participants each: offenders against adults, exhibitionists and offenders against children. The seven scale version of the QACSO (stalking added) was used. All questionnaires were administered individually. In both studies, the offenders against adults reported higher levels of attitudes consistent with sexual offending in the area of rape and attitudes to women with medium to large effect sizes and a significant difference in study 1. In both studies, offenders against children reported significantly higher levels of cognitive distortions (large effect sizes) in the area of offences against children. Both differences were in the predicted direction and there were no other significant differences on other sections. In general, all three groups reported higher levels of cognitive distortions than non-offenders. There would appear to be some specificity particularly for the rape and attitudes to women scale, and the offenders against children scale. The same specificity does not emerge from other scales of the QACSO. The study also lends support to the inclusion of techniques which explore and challenge attitudes consistent with offending both generally and in relation to specific offences.
Risk assessment: actuarial prediction and clinical judgement of offending incidents and behaviour for intellectual disability services
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., BEAIL Nigel
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 17(4), December 2004, pp.229-234.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Research on prediction of violent and sexual offending behaviour has developed considerably in the mainstream criminological literature. Work on actuarial instruments, dynamic variables, clinical judgement and structured clinical judgement is reviewed. A number of studies comparing actuarial instruments in terms of their predictive validity are reviewed. Relative effectiveness and applicability to intellectual disability is considered. A framework for dynamic variables is outlined and the importance of dynamic variables for inclusion in risk prediction is established. Strengths and limitations of clinical judgement are reported and the importance of reliability is noted. Finally, structured clinical judgement is reviewed in terms of the way in which it combines the other three groups of variables. The information regarding different methods of risk assessment is integrated with research and opinion. Risk prediction will always be a judgement and as such there will always be errors in judgement. As clinicians, researchers and policy makers it is our duty to employ the latest research information to make predictions that are as accurate as possible. However, we must also help to promote a culture that can be tolerant of inevitable errors.