Background: People with intellectual disabilities are at risk of experiencing stigma and require the skills and confidence to deal with stigma in their daily lives.Method: Development and piloting of a 5-session manualised psychosocial group intervention designed to increase the capacity of people with intellectual disabilities aged 16+ to manage and resist stigma. Ten pre-existing groups (N = 67) in third sector and education settings participated. Interviews with participants (n = 26), facilitators (n = 9) and significant others (n = 7) 2-4 months after the intervention assessed perceived impact.Results: Perceived benefits of the intervention for participants included increased understanding, improved connections with others, drive for advocacy, increased activity and self-efficacy, and opportunity to process difficult events and emotions. Differential impact depending on individuals' pre-existing self-advocacy skills was noted.Conclusions: This early-stage study indicates that further evaluation is merited to examine feasibility and outcomes of the STORM intervention.

This paper describes a 10-session pilot group which was developed in response to clinical observations that many of the individuals referred to the psychology service with presenting problems such as anxiety, depression or interpersonal difficulties appeared to be struggling with the underlying issue of understanding and coming to terms with their disability. The group, therefore, aimed to help individuals understand the label of learning disability and consider their position in relation to this.

▪ Wellbeing is a word used to describe how you feel when you have more resources (ways to cope) than challenges (things that are hard).▪ Coronavirus has put pressure on people, so they are struggling with wellbeing.▪ Psychologists have good ideas about how to help, by getting people together to talk about their problems in different ways.

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