Search results for ‘Subject term:"learning disabilities"’ Sort:
Results 1 - 10 of 23
A programme for alcohol related violence with offenders with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- LINDSAY William R., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, 5(2), 2014, pp.107-119.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Although studies suggest alcohol abuse is not the major problem among offenders and others with intellectual disabilities (ID), it is still a significant problem. There are also suggestions that alcohol may have a more serious effect on those with ID. The purpose of this paper is to describe a treatment for alcohol-related difficulties designed for people with ID. Design/methodology/approach: A programme for alcohol-related problems is described and four case studies are presented to illustrate the sessions and review the way in which people with ID have responded to the methods. The cases have a mixture of alcohol-related problems including anger, anxiety, social withdrawal and depression. The alcohol programme is coordinated with a range of person centred interventions for specific difficulties. Findings: All cases responded to the programme positively. Two cases showed reductions in anger, two reported reductions in anxiety and one reported reductions in depression. All cases increased their alcohol knowledge considerably. Research limitations/implications: The programme seems promising in its approach to alcohol-related difficulties. It is noted that alcohol education alone is likely to improve participants’ wellbeing in the absence of coordinated intervention for other relevant personal difficulties. A controlled treatment trial for effectiveness is clearly required. Originality/value: The paper describes a programme for alcohol-related problems and may be the first such programme that has contained pilot evaluation. (Publisher abstract)
Life Skills Group: increasing foundation knowledge and motivation in offenders with a learning disability
- Authors:
- PATTERSON Christy, THOMAS Cathy
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, 5(1), 2014, pp.4-13.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Offenders with a learning disability present with greater clinical need than those without a learning disability. However, for this client group, access to and engagement with psychological and criminogenic interventions are often limited. The purpose of this paper is to discuss a potentially useful approach to this issue. Design/methodology/approach: A single case study design was used to evaluate an introductory group programme, delivered over 12 weekly sessions, in a forensic learning disability service. Semi-structured interviews were used alongside psychometric measures, which were completed prior to, and following completion of, the group, in order to assess the individual's experience of the group, their emotional understanding and difficulties, and readiness to change. Findings: Readiness to change and emotional understanding improved following completion of the programme. Self-reported emotional difficulties showed improvement, although not all staff reports corroborated this. Notably, the service user reported a positive experience, with increased confidence and motivation to attend further groups. Research limitations/implications: Generalisation from the results of single case studies is limited. Although results suggest that motivation to engage further has increased, more research is required to assess whether this impacts on actual ability to engage. Practical implications: Offering an introductory programme prior to further, more criminogenically focused intervention may be more effective than offering these interventions as the first stage of treatment. Originality/value: An introductory group programme may be potentially helpful in providing the foundation knowledge, confidence and motivation necessary to attend further intervention focusing on criminogenic need for offenders with a learning disability. (Publisher abstract)
Lessons from the front line: working with offenders with learning disability and personality disorder in a high secure therapeutic community
- Authors:
- TAYLOR Jon, TROUT Sarah
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Health Review Journal, 18(1), 2013, pp.44-52.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose – The aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the experiences of nursing staff providing a residential treatment programme for high risk offenders with an intellectual disability and personality disorder. Design/methodology/approach – The paper's approach is thematic analysis of focus groups, repeated measures EssenCES. Findings – Nursing staff report increased insight into patients' risk factors, improved relationships with patients and enhanced team working. Practical implications – This descriptive paper will be of interest to clinicians working with offenders with intellectual disability and personality disorder. Improvements in team functioning may be of interest to managers. Originality/value – There are few published papers concerning treatment approaches with offenders with intellectual disability and personality disorder. This paper fills some of the gaps. (Publisher abstract)
Working with people with a learning disability who break the law
- Author:
- LOFTHOUSE Rachael
- Journal article citation:
- Llais, 101, Winter 2011, pp.7-9.
- Publisher:
- Learning Disability Wales
The author briefly highlights research examining why people with a learning disability offend and how best to work with people to manage offending behaviour. She also describes some of her own PhD research which looked at the reasons why people with learning disabilities sometimes behave violently.
Treatment of women with intellectual disabilities who have been involved with the criminal justice system for reasons of aggression
- Authors:
- ALLEN Ronald, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 14(4), 2001, pp.340-347.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
While there has been an increase in research into offenders with intellectual disabilities (IDs), most of this work has been in relation to men who offend. This article investigates some of these issues with regard to five women with IDs. All the subjects had been referred to the service for assessment and treatment for reasons of aggression. All were treated using anger management training. All of the women responded to treatment and data is available for periods between 2.5 and 8 years following the initial referral. The results are discussed in terms of general issues on offending specific issues of treatment and specific issues for the women.
The characteristics and treatment needs of fire setters with intellectual disability: descriptive data and comparisons between offence type
- Authors:
- CURTIS Ashlee, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, 10(4), 2019, pp.82-88.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: Fire setters who have an intellectual disability (ID) are often identified as posing a particular danger to the community although relatively little is known about their characteristics, treatment and support needs. The paper aims to discuss this issue. Design/methodology/approach: This study describes the characteristics of 134 residents of low, medium and high security ID facilities in the UK who have either an index offence of arson, a violent index offence or a sexual index offence. Findings: Index arson offenders who had an ID had multiple prior convictions, a history of violent offending and a high likelihood of having a comorbid mental disorder. There were many shared characteristics across the three groups. Practical implications: The current study suggests that offenders who have ID who set fires have treatment needs that are similar to those of violent and sex offenders. It follows that fire setters who have an ID may also benefit from participating in more established offending behaviour treatment programs, such as cognitive behaviour therapy programs, developed for other types of offender. Originality/value: This study is one of the few which has investigated the characteristics and treatment needs of persons who have an ID who set fires. In particular, it is one of the first to compare the characteristics and treatment needs for persons with ID who set fires, to those who have committed violent and sexual offences. (Edited publisher abstract)
Substance use, offending, and participation in alcohol and drug treatment programmes: a comparison of prisoners with and without intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- McGILLIVRAY Jane A., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 29(3), 2016, p.289–294.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Background: Many offenders with intellectual disabilities have substance use issues. Offending behaviour may be associated with substance use. Materials and Methods: Prisoners with and without intellectual disabilities were compared in terms of their substance use prior to imprisonment, the influence of substance use on offending, and their participation in alcohol and drug treatment programmes. Results: Substance use was similar in prisoners with and without intellectual disabilities in the year prior to their current prison terms. Prisoners with intellectual disabilities were much less likely to report that substance use was an antecedent to the offences leading to their imprisonment. The completion rate of alcohol and drug treatment programmes was much lower for those with intellectual disabilities. Conclusions: Substance use may be as common in prisoners with intellectual disabilities as those without this condition. Services may need to reflect on whether their treatment programmes are meeting the needs of all prisoners. (Publisher abstract)
“Why can’t they be in the community?” a policy and practice analysis of transforming care for offenders with intellectual disability
- Authors:
- ALEXANDER Regi T., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 9(3), 2015, pp.139-148.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe key policy and practice issues regarding a significant subgroup of people with intellectual disability – those with offending behaviour being treated in forensic hospitals. Design/methodology/approach: The reasons why psychiatrists continue to be involved in the treatment of people with intellectual disability and mental health or behavioural problems and the factors that may lead to patients needing hospital admission are examined. Using two illustrative examples, three key questions – containment vs treatment, hospital care vs conditional discharge and hospital treatment vs using deprivation of liberty safeguards usage in the community are explored. Findings: Patients with intellectual disability, mental health problems and offending behaviours who are treated within forensic inpatient units tend to have long lengths of stay. The key variable that mediates this length of stay is the risk that they pose to themselves or others. Clinicians work within the framework of mental health law and have to be mindful that pragmatic solutions to hasten discharge into the community may not fall within the law. Originality/value: This paper makes practical suggestions for the future on how to best integrate hospital and community care for people with intellectual disability, mental health and offending behaviours. (Publisher abstract)
Therapeutic communities for people with intellectual disability and complex needs
- Authors:
- TAYLOR Jon, CROWTHER Simon, BRYANT Christian
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 9(3), 2015, pp.124-131.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to describe the use and value of therapeutic communities (TCs) in services for people with intellectual disabilities (IDs) and complex needs. Design/methodology/approach: A structured literature review of TC in ID services. Findings: TCs have been used in a range of in-patient services for people with IDs. Although outcome studies are scarce, those that exist offer promising indications of such service designs. Originality/value: TCs have seen a recent increase of interest in ID services. This paper provides an overview of these services and outlines the benefits that such a residential culture can offer for both service users and staff members. (Publisher abstract)
“Staying Well”: a psychoeducational group for people with an intellectual disability, co-morbid mental illness and offending behaviour
- Authors:
- DOUDS Fergus, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, 5(1), 2014, pp.54-59.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: UK best practice guidelines for the treatment for people with schizophrenia recommend the use of psychoeducational approaches. The purpose of this paper is to describe the introduction of psychoeducational groups for people with an intellectual disability and co-morbid mental illness within forensic settings. Design/methodology/approach: “Staying Well”, a psychoeducational programme for people with an intellectual disability and co-morbid mental illness was based in part on a group programme from Ashworth Hospital, but adapted and developed to be suitable for people with intellectual disability. Input from a very experienced speech and language therapist was of great importance. Five groups with a total of 20 participants (15 different individuals) with mild to moderate intellectual disability and co-morbid mental illness were run over a two-year period. At the end of each group, an individualised “Staying Well Plan” was devised, to reduce the risk of future relapses. Findings: The group was very positively welcomed in the two pilot hospitals, by participants and members of the clinical teams. The key measure of the success of the programme is that the “Staying Well Plans” developed for the individuals are still in place two years after the completion of the first groups. Practical implications: The authors believe that this approach is of benefit to both the participants and their carers, stimulating positive engagement, open discussion about mental illness and reinforcing strategies for “Staying Well”. Originality/value: This paper shows how a psychoeducational approach to severe mental illness in individuals with an intellectual disability is both possible and well received. (Publisher abstract)