Psychotherapy with persons with intellectual disabilities: a review of effectiveness research
| Published date | 16 September 2011 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/20441281111180673 |
| Date | 16 September 2011 |
| Pages | 53-59 |
| Author | H. Thompson Prout,Brooke K. Browning |
| Subject Matter | Education,Health & social care |
Literature review
Psychotherapy with persons with
intellectual disabilities: a review
of effectiveness research
H. Thompson Prout and Brooke K. Browning
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to provide an update on the effectiveness of psychotherapy with
persons with intellectual disabilities.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper focused on summarizing the conclusions of other
reviews published in the last ten years, including a recent review by the authors.
Findings – The paper concludes that there is evidence that psychotherapy with persons with
intellectual disabilities is at least moderately effective. Further, there is evidence of effectiveness of
psychotherapy for both child and adolescent, and adult populations. There is also evidence that a range
of therapeutic interventions are effective and that a spectrum of problems can be addressed via
psychotherapy.
Research limitations/implications – This area has received relatively little attention in the research
literature and the area lacks a large base of methodologically sound and rigorous studies. There is a
need for well-designed studies, particularly randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and a need for better
specification of treatments (e.g. manualized), better outcome measures, and clearer specification of
diagnostic categories within the intellectual disability population.
Practical implications – This review provides continued support for the use of psychotherapy with
persons with intellectual disabilities.
Originality/value – This review appears to represent the most current overview of research in this area.
Keywords Psychotherapy, Effectiveness, Mental retardation,Intellectual disabilities,
Children (age groups), Adolescents, Adults
Paper type Literature review
The effectiveness of psychotherapy has long been an issue of debate among mental-health
researchers and professionals. With increasing utilization of psychotropic medications to
treat a wide range of mental disorders, there is even more pressure to identify effective
treatments that offer advantages over medication or enhance the effectiveness of medical
treatments. Psychotherapy outcome studies have become the focal point of these debates.
The early research views on the effectiveness of psychotherapy were not very positive.
Eysenck (1952) published a classic and controversial review on the effectiveness of
psychotherapy with adults, mostly described as neurotic. He reviewed a number of studies
and concluded that the number of individuals who improved with treatment was not
substantially different from those who experienced improvement withou t treatment,
i.e. ‘‘spontaneous remission.’’ Eysenck (1965) published a follow-up review and Rachman
(1971) published a book, The Effects of Psychotherapy, both questioning the effectiveness
DOI 10.1108/20441281111180673 VOL. 5 NO. 5 2011, pp. 53-59, QEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
j
ADVANCES IN MENTALHEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
PAGE 53
H. Thompson Prout is a
Professor and
Brooke K. Browning is a
Doctoral Student. Both are
based at the Department of
Educational, School, and
Counseling Psychology,
University of Kentucky,
Lexington, Kentucky, USA.
This paper is a revised version
of a chapter entitled
‘‘The effectiveness of
psychotherapy with persons
with intellectual disabilities’’,
originally published in
Psychotherapy for Individuals
with Intellectual Disabilities,
edited by Robert J. Fletcher
and published by NADD Press,
2011. This version appears in
Advances in Mental Health and
Intellectual Disabilities courtesy
of NADD Press.
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