The development and preliminary evaluation of a thinking skills programme for adults with learning disabilities at risk of offending
| Pages | 32-45 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JFP-11-2012-0026 |
| Date | 04 February 2014 |
| Published date | 04 February 2014 |
| Author | Julia Kelly |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Criminology & forensic psychology,Forensic practice |
The development and preliminary
evaluation of a thinking skills programme
for adults with learning disabilities at
risk of offending
Julia Kelly
Julia Kelly is a Forensic
Psychologist, based at
Oxfordshire Learning Disability
NHS Trust (Ridgeway
Partnership), now known as
Southern Health Foundation
NHS Trust, Oxford, UK.
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to outline and evaluate the development of a thinking skills
programme for adults with learning disabilities at risk of offending.
Design/methodology/approach – The programme was evaluated over three years using self-report
clinical measures related to treatment targets and feedback from participants.
Findings – Results showed a statistically significant improvement in general empathy (t¼1.800, df ¼15,
p¼o0.05) and perspective taking (t ¼1.898, df ¼15, p¼o0.05). Improvement in impulsivity and locus of
control was not significant. Feedback from service users was positive.
Practical implications – Findings suggest that thinking skills programmes can be of benefit to adults with
learning disabilities at risk of offending.
Originality/value – There is a need to provide opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to address
generic deficits and factors supporting offending behaviour and to increase readiness for offence-specific
treatment.
Keywords Self-efficacy, Help-seeking, Learning disability, CBT, Offending behaviour, Thinking skills
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
Thinking skills programmes developed in the prison service, such as the Enhanced Thinking
Skills (ETS) course (Offending Behaviours Programme Unit, 2000), target basic deficits by
teaching socio-cognitive skills that promote pro-social behavioural choices. Blud and Travers
(2001) point out that, while the treatment target is on behavioural change, programmes focus on
the process of thinking as the key mechanism for change and not, as with a more traditional
CBT approach, on the content of anti-social thinking which will differ considerably between
individuals. Adopting this approach, outcomes research has demonstrated the efficacy of
thinking skills programmes in improving problem-solving skills, with the longer programmes
showing even greater gains in the generation of novel solutions to problems.
ETS was not developed for offenders with learning disabilities due to the complexity of the
material, pace of presentation and limited opportunities to adapt and respond to individual
needs either within or outside of the group. In response, the Avon Forensic Community Learning
Disability Team developed a comparable treatment programme more suitable for people with
mild to borderline learning disabilities which was evaluated and developed over the course of
being delivered three times between 2002 and 2004, resulting in the Good Thinking! Course
(Goodman et al., 2011) that formed the basis of the programme described here.
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JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PRACTICE
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VOL. 16 NO. 1 2014, pp. 32-45, CEmerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2050-8794 DOI 10.1108/JFP-11-2012-0026
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