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The adaptation of a cognitive-behavioural treatment programme for special needs sexual offenders
- Authors:
- KEELING Jenny A., ROSE John L.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Learning Disabilities, 34(2), June 2006, pp.110-116.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This article describes the process of adapting an existing sexual offender treatment programme for use with sexual offenders who have special needs in an Australian correctional setting. The population comprised individuals with a variety of special needs including borderline or mild intellectual functioning, severe literacy problems, significant communication difficulties, and other important deficits and special needs. It should be noted that some of these special needs individuals would not meet the diagnostic criteria for intellectual disability and this programme is aimed at the broader group inclusive of a number of special needs. Therapeutic adaptations have been guided by current research and practice, and specific examples are described and discussed. The authors believe that these adaptations may also have some utility for mainstream sexual offender treatment programmes. Research into the efficacy of these treatment adaptations with this population is currently underway.
Outcomes from a community‐based Positive Behavioural Support team for children and adults with developmental disabilities
- Authors:
- BOWRING Darren L., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 33(2), 2020, pp.193-203.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: Previous evaluations of community PBS teams have not investigated whether behaviour change is both statistically reliable and clinically significant. Few previous studies have reported quality of life (QoL) and social validity outcomes. Method: The present authors collected data on 85 people referred to a specialist PBS team. The present authors used a unique set of multiple measures and statistical change metrics to evaluate outcome. Results: Statistically significant improvements in QoL and health‐related QoL (HRQoL), with medium to large effect sizes, were demonstrated following PBS input. Mean Behaviour Problems Inventory‐Short Form scores reduced from 37.74 (SD = 30.54) at baseline to 12.12 (SD = 12.24) at follow‐up, with a large effect size (d = 0.84). Stakeholders reported valuing the process and outcomes of PBS, findings which support the social validity of PBS for people with developmental disabilities. Conclusion: This study demonstrates successful PBS outcomes in QoL, HRQoL, challenging behaviour and social validity in a community setting. (Edited publisher abstract)
The maintenance effect of cognitive–behavioural treatment groups for the Chinese parents of children with intellectual disabilities in Melbourne, Australia: a 6-month follow-up study
- Authors:
- WONG D. F. K., POON A., LAI KWOK Y. C.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disability Research, 55(11), November 2011, pp.1043-1053.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Parents with disabled children may experience a great deal of parenting stress, which may result in adverse physical, social and psychological outcomes. The aim of this study was to examine the longer-term effects of cognitive–behavioural treatment (CBT) on Melbourne-based Chinese-speaking parents of children with intellectual disabilities who were at risk of developing mental health problems. A total of 4 CBT groups were run, each of which comprised 9-10 participants. The group contents were adapted from a CBT group manual for people with depressive symptoms. The 39 participants completed questionnaires at the pre- and post-test stage and at the 6-month follow-up. The results indicate that at follow-up the parents continued to display a substantial decrease in parenting stress and dysfunctional attitudes and significantly better mental health and quality of life. Comparison of the post-test and follow-up scores suggested only insignificant changes in all the outcome variables. Approximately 90.5% of the participants could be classified as not-at-risk of developing mental health problems at the follow-up. The study provides preliminary evidence of the 6-month maintenance of the CBT group.
The anger management project: a group intervention for anger in people with physical and multiple disabilities
- Authors:
- HAGILIASSIS Nick, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 30(2), June 2005, pp.86-96.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Twenty-nine individuals were randomly assigned to an intervention group or a waiting-list comparison group. Individuals were based in the North West or South East Melbourne Metropolitan Region of Australia. The intervention comprised a 12-week anger management program, based on Novaco's (1975) cognitive-behavioural conceptualisation of anger, which incorporates adapted content and pictographic materials developed for clients with a range of disabilities. On completion of the program, clients from the intervention group had made significant improvements in their self-reported anger levels, compared with clients from the comparison group, and relative to their own pre-intervention scores. Treatment effects were maintained at 4-month follow-up. In contrast, there was an absence of measured improvements in quality of life. The results provide evidence for the program's effectiveness as an intervention for anger problems for individuals with a range of disabilities.
Comparing sexual offender treatment efficacy: mainstream sexual offenders and sexual offenders with special needs
- Authors:
- KEELING Jenny A., ROSE John L., BEECH Anthony R.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 32(2), June 2007, pp.117-124.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
This paper investigates the efficacy of a treatment program for sexual offenders with special needs in comparison to treatment outcomes for mainstream sexual offenders in Australia. Follow-up data is also presented for the group of offenders with special needs. Participants from the two groups were matched on four variables (risk category, sex of victim, type of offence and age). All participants completed an assessment battery pre- and post-treatment and the scores on these tests were analysed for each group. Change on these measures was also compared between the two groups. Follow-up data for the special needs cohort were collected from an offender database. Overall, both groups made few significant changes on the tests post-treatment, however individual results demonstrated that some offenders in both groups had achieved reliable change. In comparing treatment results between the two groups, the sexual offenders with special needs differed only on progress relating to "avoidant" relationship styles. The results also indicated that social desirability bias played a significant role in self-report assessment for both groups. Follow-up data for the group with special needs identified that none of the offenders had committed further sexual offences, after an average release time of 16 months. There are a number of limitations to this study, particularly as a result of the experimental design and the small number of participants, and these should be considered as a major limitation on the conclusions drawn from the results. However, it is suggested that the program had some positive effects for some offenders, with little difference in progress detected between the two groups. Possible explanations for the varied outcomes are discussed.
Planning and support for people with intellectual disabilities: issues for case managers and other professionals
- Editors:
- BIGBY Christine, FYFFE Chris, OZANNE Elizabeth, (eds.)
- Publisher:
- Jessica Kingsley
- Publication year:
- 2007
- Pagination:
- 308p.
- Place of publication:
- London
The authors outline the skills needed and common issues in case management practice across a range of people with different disabilities at different stages of their life. Emphasising the importance of taking a rights-based approach to supporting people with learning disabilities, the authors argue that effective case management needs to be individualised and carried out in partnership with the individual and their family in order to draw up a lifestyle plan that meets their many needs, including employment, education, vocational training, therapy and behaviour support. The book includes chapters on inter-agency and cross-sector negotiation and collaboration, balancing rights and protection, listening to individuals and families, communication, optimising health outcomes, approaches to behaviour support, ethical decision-making and reflective supervision, and the text is complemented by case studies throughout.