The impact of sexual abuse among those with an intellectual disability is an area in need of further research. The current article provides an in-depth narrative review of the sexual abuse literature relevant to individuals with an intellectual disability. The 29 articles included in this study focused on (a) the prevalence of sexual abuse, (b) the risk factors associated with this population, and (c) the psychological impact of abuse. The findings confirmed that children and adults with an intellectual disability are at a higher risk of sexual abuse than nondisabled peers. Research regarding risk factors is equivocal, with a range of possible factors indicated. Similarly, evidence suggests that there is no single diagnostic trajectory when dealing with the sequelae of sexual abuse among those with an intellectual disability. The article concludes by discussing recommendations for future research and development of policy around this area.

Objectives. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) has accrued a growing evidence-base for a wide variety of psychological difficulties. Given that ACT promotes broad and flexible repertoires of behaviour as well as neutralizing the ubiquitous psychological processes theorized to be responsible for much human suffering, such an approach may hold promise. The use of ACT-informed parenting interventions offers another alternative to solely behavioural approaches but it remains relatively understudied and in need of further exploration.Design. The current systematic review, which searched four databases, aimed to collate all ACT interventions that included parental therapeutic components in the treatment of various child presenting difficulties. The review also rated the methodological rigour of the ACT evidence-base for this type of treatment format.Results. Twenty-seven individual studies covering a broad spectrum of presenting problems were included, comprising of 1,155 participants. A large proportion of studies were within-group designs with a smaller number using randomized controlled trials. The majority of studies reported improvements on either parent report symptoms regarding child physical or psychological functioning as well as parent-reported measures of stress, depression, and anxiety. Similar improvements were noted on a number of ACT mechanisms of change outcomes, including mindfulness, acceptance, and cognitive fusing. These gains were evident for parents of children with neurodevelopmental disorders, chronic pain, and significant physical health difficulties. Maintenance or further treatment gains were often reported at follow-up. These positive findings are tempered by low levels of methodological rigour common in some of the studies included.Conclusions. Despite these limitations, ACT holds promise as a transdiagnostic intervention that can help with the parenting of children with a range of psychological and physical difficulties. Practitioner pointsACT has accrued a relatively strong evidence base for a range of psychological difficulties. Despite some methodological shortcomings, ACT shows promise as an intervention to help parents manage stress and difficulties especially in relation to children with autism, chronic pain, and physical health needs.

Objectives: Over the past decade, mentalization-based treatment (MBT) approaches have been developed specifically for children, adolescents and families. This study provides a systematic review of MBT applicable to both children and families. Method: Five databases were searched to identify reports of MBT studies published up to February 2020. Studies were screened and reported according to PRISMA guidelines. Results: A total of 34 studies were included in this review. Of these, 14 focused on parent–child dyads, two on child therapy, seven applied the approach to parenting, four evaluated the application of MBT to the school environment and seven focused on adolescent populations. Conclusion: Despite methodological shortcomings and heterogeneity in design, the existing literature does provide tentative support for the use of MBT approaches for these populations, specifically in increasing mentalizing/reflective functioning. Further controlled and methodologically rigorous studies are required.

Individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs) are at increased susceptibility to adverse life experiences and trauma sequelae. There is a disparate range of therapeutic interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and associated symptoms. This systematic review aimed to appraise the effectiveness of both cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) for PTSD and associated symptoms for both adults and children with mild, moderate, or severe intellectual delay. A systematic search, in line with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines, of the PsychInfo, PubMed, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and MEDLINE databases were performed, and all relevant articles published between 2010 and March 2020 were included. A total of 11 articles were included, eight that focused on EMDR and three on CBT. The methodological quality of many of these articles was generally weak. Tentative findings suggest that EMDR and CBT are both acceptable and feasible treatment options among adults and children with varying levels of intellectual delay, but no firm conclusions can be drawn regarding effectiveness due to small sample sizes, lack of standardized assessment, and a paucity of methodological rigorous treatment designs. This review highlights the continued use of therapeutic approaches with clients presenting with IDs and PTSD. It adds to the extant literature by providing an expansive and broad overview of the current effectiveness of both EMDR and CBT. Further high-quality research is needed to provide more conclusive findings regarding treatment effectiveness and modifications to treatment needed with this population.

The therapeutic nihilism common in much of the early literature on borderline personality disorder (BPD) has given way to a growing research base with findings indicating the effectiveness of a number of psychological treatments. This article will review three major evidence-based treatments for BPD; dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT), schema-focused therapy (SFT) and mentalization-based treatment (MBT). While not a panacea, these treatments have provided, to differing degrees, a reasonable level of evidence indicating therapeutic effectiveness. The evidence base for each of these models is discussed as well as possible mechanisms of change. The article highlights similarities between the differing modalities as well as the features that distinguish the models. The article contends that increasing mentalization skills may be a common underlying factor in all treatments for individual with BPD. The authors conclude by discussing the difficulties and potential benefits of treatment integration.