Background: Mindfulness interventions have been shown to ameliorate stress in support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities. This review aimed to explore what impact mindfulness interventions for staff have on their care and support behaviours, and on the experiences of people with intellectual disabilities receiving support.…

Background: Negative mental health implications of menopause found in the general population, combined with high rates of mental health conditions found in women with intellectual disabilities, provide rationale to examine the existing literature to determine the impact of menopause on women with intellectual disabilities. Methods: The review was…

Background: Adults with mild-moderate intellectual disabilities have difficulties in accessing traditional evidence-based health promotion initiatives despite experiencing health disparities; yet there are few studies with this group and their carers exploring how their needs can be met. Method: This study adapted a behaviour change theory-based…

Background: Only about 9% of individuals with intellectual disabilities reach the government's physical activity (PA) recommendations. Combining gamification and technology seems particularly promising in overcoming personal and environmental barriers to PA participation. Method: Eighteen adults with varying levels of intellectual disabilities…

Background: People with severe to profound intellectual disabilities experience similar or higher levels of depression than those with more mild intellectual disabilities. Yet, there is an absence of evidence about how to adapt existing psychological therapies for this population. Method: A behavioural activation intervention (BeatIt) for people…

Background: The inclusion of people with intellectual disabilities is limited due to a high prevalence of prejudice towards this population. We reviewed studies to identify the most effective intervention methods that focus on acceptance of people with intellectual disabilities. Method: A literature review was conducted using several…

Background: Behaviour change techniques (BCTs) can be employed to support a healthy lifestyle for people with intellectual disabilities. The aim of this study is to determine whether and which BCTs are used by direct support professionals (DSPs) for supporting healthy lifestyle behaviour of people with moderate to profound intellectual…

Background: Dietary challenges are common among individuals with intellectual disability residing in supervised living in Norway, and this is a major risk factor for health problems. The aim of this study was to explore feasibility of the nutrition tablet app APPetitus, among persons with intellectual disability and their formal caregivers.…

Background: Dog-assisted therapy (DAT) is hypothesized to help children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Down syndrome (DS). Methods: The present authors compared synchronous movement patterns of these children (n = 10) and their therapy dogs during the first and last session of a DAT programme, and their post-therapy changes in emotional…

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…

Background: Needle phobias are common in children and adults worldwide. One effective intervention for this phobia is exposure therapy where a participant is gradually exposed to increasing levels of the fear-evoking stimulus while differential reinforcement is applied. This intervention, however, may be difficult to implement with some medical…

Background: Promotion of a healthy lifestyle for individuals with mild intellectual disabilities is important. However, the suitability of behaviour change techniques (BCTs) for these individuals is still unclear. Methods: A Delphi study was performed using the Coventry, Aberdeen & LOndon -- REfined (CALO-RE) taxonomy of BCTs (n = 40). Health…

Background: An adaptation of multisystemic therapy (MST) was piloted to find out whether it would yield better outcomes than standard MST in families where the adolescent not only shows antisocial or delinquent behaviour, but also has an intellectual disability. Method: To establish the comparative effectiveness of MST-ID (n = 55) versus standard…

Background: Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience significant inequalities and tend to be more sedentary and less physically active than the wider population. Walking programmes are an effective way to increase physical activity (PA) but have not been used in studies involving adults with intellectual disabilities. Method: Nineteen…

Background: This study investigated whether a personalized life story book and rummage box enhanced well-being and led to changes in behaviour for people with Down syndrome (DS) who have dementia. Materials and Methods: A randomized single case series design was used with five participants who had DS and a diagnosis of dementia. Participants were…