Search

Objectives: Mental imagery is important in the development and maintenance of psychological disorders and well‐being but has been neglected in people with intellectual disabilities. A detailed idiographic analysis of the lived experience of mental imagery in this population is presented. Design: This qualitative study uses interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). It involved inclusive research methods with people with intellectual disabilities and other stakeholders (including family members, advocates, support workers and intellectual disability service managers). Methods: Ten individual semi‐structured interviews were conducted with people with mild–moderate intellectual disabilities. Participants were opportunistically sampled through organisations providing community services to people with intellectual disabilities in the UK. Two men and eight women (mean age 43 years) participated. Interviews were audio‐recorded and analysed using IPA. Results: People with intellectual disabilities are able to experience a range of rich and detailed mental images across all sensory modalities. Participants reported changes in affect based on mental imagery, and an ability to experience both spontaneous and deliberate mental images. The emotional saliency of the object of mental imagery appeared to influence participants' ability to engage with imagery. A number of adaptations make mental imagery more accessible and easier to report. The ability of people with intellectual disabilities to experience vivid mental imagery has important clinical implications for the use of a range of mental imagery interventions with this population. Conclusions: The need to consider mental imagery interventions for this population, and how these can be adapted to ensure accessibility is a priority for people with intellectual disabilities and psychological disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary: Sepsis is a very serious illness. It is a common cause of death in people with learning disabilities.We wanted to understand what it is like for people with a learning disability to have sepsis.We asked three people with a learning disability and five of their carers what it was like when they had sepsis. We asked about their health before sepsis, how their sepsis was treated and what health services could have done better.Carers often felt that people's mental health was worse after sepsis. They thought that even when people were physically better, their mood and behaviour was still affected.After sepsis, people were more worried about their physical health, and carers were careful to follow up on every health concern. Background: Sepsis is a common cause of death within the general population and the third most common cause of death for people with a learning disability, suggesting an increased vulnerability or different trajectory within this population. Despite this, there is currently no research into the direct lived experiences of people with a learning disability who develop and recover from sepsis. Methods: Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 3 people with a learning disability (average age of 44.7, range of age 33 to 68) who experienced sepsis and 5 carers (1 familial and 4 professional carers) (average age of 48.8, range of age 43 to 58) who had supported an individual with a learning disability while they had sepsis. Sepsis was caused by a range of physical health problems. Face‐to‐face semi‐structured interviews were conducted, transcribed and analysed using thematic analysis. Findings: Six main themes were identified: chronic and acute pre‐existing health conditions, experiences within the hospital setting, physical recovery, mental recovery, returning to a normal life and the implications of sepsis. The findings highlighted some of the ongoing difficulties for people with intellectual disabilities in accessing timely healthcare provision and the ongoing mental health problems, even after physically recovering from sepsis. People with a learning disability have more comorbid health conditions which may compound the longer‐term effects of sepsis. Conclusion: Future research should be conducted with people with learning disabilities about their experiences shortly after recovery from sepsis, to mitigate the effects of memory difficulties in recalling experiences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim To investigate the views of people with a learning disability on their experiences of the community team for people with a learning disability (CTPLD ) that is designed to meet their health and social care needs. Method Two focus groups were held with people who have learning disabilities. A flip chart with photographs of the CTPLD members, pictures and vignettes about how people use the team's services and a semi-structured interview schedule were used to ask participants about which healthcare professionals they had seen, what they had found helpful about the CTPLD and ideas for changes to the service. Findings Participants identified positive areas of practice as well as areas for improvement. Participants reflected on their relationship with the team as well as individual professionals. Conclusion The involvement of people with learning disabilities in the planning and development of the services that they receive should be an important focus for organisations. Participants' suggestions enable the team members to improve the services they provide to people with a learning disability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary More people with a learning disability are becoming parents., We wanted to find out what it was like to have a parent with a learning disability., People told us about the good things about their parents. They also told us some difficult things about their childhood., We have ideas about how services can help families when a parent has a learning disability., Abstract Background: More people with a learning disability are becoming parents. Little is known about the lived experiences of the children who have a parent with a learning disability. Methods: This study uses interpretative phenomenological analysis ( IPA) to understand the lived experiences of people who have a parent with a learning disability. Five people who have a parent with a learning disability were asked about their experiences of being parented and their childhood more generally. Results: Four themes emerged from the interviews: 1) 'Fitting in' within the wider family system, 2) The parental relationship and the impact of disability, 3) A difficult childhood and 4) Resilience. Conclusions: These findings are compared with the existing literature, and similarities and emerging findings are noted. Implications for services when supporting families with a parent who has a learning disability are discussed. Additional ideas about areas that require additional research are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible Summary We held an anxiety group for people with learning disabilities, The group ran for 6 weeks and eight people came, After the group, we found out if people felt better. We did this by asking them what was good about the group and asking them to fill out questionnaires., Summary The effectiveness of group therapy for people with learning disabilities and anxiety management issues is reviewed. People with learning disabilities face increased levels of psychological distress compared to the general population, yet are often faced with a lack of social support and poor coping techniques to manage their distress. A 6-week cognitive behavioural therapy ( CBT) anxiety management group was delivered to eight adults with a mild learning disability by a trainee psychologist and an assistant psychologist. Participants' ages ranged from 17 to 73 years. All participants lived in the local community. Not all participants had a specific anxiety diagnosis, but all required anxiety management input. A mixed methodology using quantitative and qualitative analysis of group outcomes was used. The outcomes from this group suggest that the intervention was successful in treating anxiety for people with learning disabilities. Measures included the Quality of Life Scale, the Glasgow Anxiety Scale and the Health of the Nation Outcome Scale- Learning Disability Version. Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis ( IPA) was also used. Data from interviews were coded and analysed thematically. The main themes that emerged included group versus individual input, helpful aspects of the group, talking in front of other people, group composition (including age differences), support partners, and written materials. The outcomes for this group suggest that the intervention was successful in treating anxiety for people with learning disabilities. Practical applications of group therapies for these clients are considered, and recommendations for future groups made. Quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods are compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]