scholarly journals The characteristics and treatment needs of fire setters with intellectual disability: descriptive data and comparisons between offence type

Author(s):  
Ashlee Curtis ◽  
Keith R. McVilly ◽  
Andrew Day ◽  
William R. Lindsay ◽  
John L. Taylor ◽  
...  

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.

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-11
Author(s):  
Sue Holttum

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to highlight possible implications of therapists’ working conditions on social inclusion of service users. Design/methodology/approach A search was carried out for recent papers on cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) therapists. Findings One study highlighted that over half of their sample of 201 UK therapists in Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) services reported burnout. In a second study, in interviews with ten IAPT workers in inner London services, therapists said they had to fight for extra time to adapt CBT for people who had learning disabilities, and the additional stress made them feel less positive about working with these clients. A third study, on therapists working with people with multiple sclerosis, highlights the importance of adapting CBT for people with physical conditions. Originality/value Taken together, these three papers highlight concerning implications of current working conditions for many therapists working in IAPT services. They highlight that sources of stress include services’ rigid focus on targets and inability to make expected adjustments. With regard to the UK, this may be due to the current national service model, but it has implications for the social inclusion of some service users.


2011 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 121-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Fowler ◽  
R. Rollinson ◽  
P. French

All good quality trials of psychological interventions need to check formally that therapists have used the techniques prescribed in the published therapy manuals, and that the therapy has been carried out competently. This paper reviews methods of assessing adherence and competence used in recent large-scale trials of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) for psychosis in the UK carried out by our research groups. A combination of the Cognitive Therapy Rating Scale and specific versions of the Cognitive Therapy for Psychosis Adherence Scales provides an optimal assessment of adherence and competence. Careful assessment of the competence and adherence can help identify the procedures actually carried out with individuals within trials. The basic use of such assessments is to provide an external check on treatment fidelity on a sample of sessions. Such assessment can also provide the first step towards moving research towards making sense of CBT for psychosis as a complex intervention and identifying which techniques work for which problems of people with psychosis, at which stages of disorder?


2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Robert John Searle ◽  
Ianiv Borseti

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the effectiveness of an adapted dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) treatment programme for individuals with an intellectual disability, via completion of a service evaluation. Design/methodology/approach Outcome measurements were competed at pre-, post- and 12 months follow-up, and the effectiveness of the intervention was assessed using a Friedman analysis. Findings Findings demonstrated that the treatment group showed significant differences in their “psychological distress” scores, but no significant differences were found in their “psychological well-being”, “anxiety” or “quality of life” (WHO-QOL) scores over time. Originality/value Overall, the current study adds to the small but growing literature that supports using the skills training group part of DBT as a stand-alone psychological intervention when working with people with an intellectual disability.


2010 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 227-250 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jo Thakker ◽  
Theresa A. Gannon

AbstractSexual offending is frequently seen by the lay person as being a result of an innate abnormality that is relatively fixed and unchangeable. Accordingly, sexual offenders are seen as more likely to recidivate than other types of offenders. In fact, this is not the case, and most sexual offenders do not re-offend. Also, contemporary research has shown that treatment programs driven by cognitive behaviour therapy significantly reduce rates of sexual offender recidivism. Nevertheless, while there has been a great deal of research on the treatment of child sexual offenders, the treatment of rapists has received comparatively less attention. Thus, the main aim of this article is to summarise current knowledge of sexual offender treatment, paying specific attention to the needs of rapists. In particular, we pay attention to the content of sexual offender treatment programs, and the relevance of this content to rape. We also discuss therapeutic issues of relevance for rapist treatment that are typically ignored or underestimated in the research literature. Finally, based upon our analysis of the literature, we present a schematic overview of rape treatment and identify important areas for further research.


2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 204-215
Author(s):  
Mahesh Odiyoor ◽  
Samuel Joseph Tromans ◽  
Regi T. Alexander ◽  
Srinaveen Akbari ◽  
Gill Bell ◽  
...  

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide a professional consensus position with regard to the provision of specialist inpatient rehabilitation services for people with intellectual disability (ID), autism and mental health, behavioural or forensic needs in the UK. Design/methodology/approach The concept of rehabilitation is discussed, as well as the functions and goals of specialist inpatient rehabilitation services with regard to the aforementioned contexts. Current use of rehabilitation beds is considered, both on a regional and national scale, as well as various outcome measures, including effectiveness, patient safety and patient experience. Findings There is a clear need for specialist inpatient rehabilitation services, though historically there have been instances of inappropriate admissions, as well as lengthy inpatient stays that could have been significantly reduced with the right type of community support package. Such services should be subjected to rigorous measurement of outcome measures, to determine that patients within such services are receiving a consistently high standard of care. Additionally, amendments to current legal frameworks should be considered, with a view to accommodating for individuals with capacity who require continuous community-based supervision. Originality/value To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first article detailing a professional consensus position for specialist inpatient rehabilitation services for people with ID, autism and mental health, behavioural or forensic needs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (4) ◽  
pp. 162-178
Author(s):  
Aoife Mahon ◽  
Elizabeth Tilley ◽  
Gurch Randhawa ◽  
Yannis Pappas ◽  
Jitka Vseteckova

Purpose Individuals with intellectual disability(ies) are living longer contributing to an overall increase in the average age of caregivers. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on the physical, social and psychological needs of ageing carers of individuals with intellectual disability(ies) in the UK. Design/methodology/approach A scoping review framework was used to identify literature from eleven databases, the grey literature and the references lists of relevant studies. Only primary research studies that discussed the needs of non-professional carers, aged 65+ years old, of individuals with intellectual disability(ies) in the UK were included. No date restrictions were applied. Thematic analysis was used to narratively synthesise findings. Findings Six studies were included. Five key themes were identified: Living with fear, lack of information, rebuilding trust, proactive professional involvement and being ignored. Housing and support information is not communicated well to carers. Professionals require more training on carer needs and trust must be rebuilt between carers and professionals. Proactive approaches would help identify carer needs, reduce marginalisation, help carers feel heard and reduce the risk of care crisis. Greater recognition of mutual caring relationships is needed. Originality/value This review highlighted the needs of older caregivers for individuals with intellectual disability(ies) as well as the need for more high-quality research in this field. The information presented in this review may be considered by primary care providers and funding bodies when planning future support for this growing population of carers.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 54-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Caroline Jennings ◽  
Olivia Hewitt

Purpose – Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is currently one of the recommended treatments for depression for the general population and guidance recommends that people with a learning disability should have access to the same treatments as people without a learning disability. The purpose of this paper is to identify, outline and evaluate current research on the effectiveness of CBT for depression for people with a learning disability. The clinical, service and research implications are considered. Design/methodology/approach – A systematic search was conducted and five relevant articles were identified for critical review. Findings – There is a limited but promising evidence base for the use of CBT for depression with people with learning disabilities. Research limitations/implications – The current review identified a number of methodological issues and future research should attempt to overcome these (e.g. small sample sizes and lack of controls). In particular, research should focus on determining the relative contribution of cognitive and behavioural techniques in producing a change in depressive symptoms. Practical implications – Services (including those provided as part of Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) should be offering CBT-based interventions for people with learning disabilities who are experiencing depression. Originality/value – This paper provides a comprehensive and up to date review of the current literature regarding the use of CBT for depression for people with a learning disability. This will be of value to clinicians working with people with a learning disability as well as those commissioning services.


1996 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 124-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mervyn Jackson ◽  
Ray Wilks

There has been extensive debate over the last three decades about which professional groups should receive government-funded rebates in the mental health field. Cognitive-behaviour therapists appear to be in the best position to demonstrate clinical efficacy, but have failed to demonstrate cost-effectiveness of cognitive-behaviour therapy. There is a need to demonstrate the cost of behaviour therapy as the first step in determining the cost-effectiveness of behaviour therapy compared to the traditional (medical-based) interventions. Using archival data from a university-based psychology clinic specialising in cognitive-behavioural interventions with child and adolescent problems, the present research determined the cost of successful treatment programs with the clinic's major referral areas: nocturnal enuresis, behaviour management, and education-based problems. Analysing 77 cases, it was found that there were significant between group differences in the number and total duration of face-to-face interviews, in the number of other contacts between therapist and client, in total therapist time, and in the estimated average cost of cases. There emerged different treatment patterns for each clinical problem, and these were reflected in costing. A number of research and methodological issues are explored. Implications for future research on cost-effectiveness and the subsequent collection of comparative data across clinics and a variety of clinical problem areas are discussed.


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