Evaluating a Survivors Group Pilot for Women with Significant Intellectual Disabilities who have been Sexually Abused

Abstract

Background Sexual abuse has been associated with trauma, low self-esteem, anger, depression and challenging behaviours. This pilot study builds on a small published literature by evaluating a survivors group (SG) for women with an intellectual disability and an educational support group (ESG) for their carers. Method The SG was delivered weekly over 5 months for 20 sessions and the ESG ran concurrently for their seven carers in a separate room within the same communitybased building. Participants were helped to build trust and rapport, provided with education about sexual abuse designed for their level of ability, and helped to reprocess the trauma of their sexual abuse. Results Both the SG and the ESG were evaluated using a repeated-measures design (double baseline, mid-treatment, post-treatment and follow up), to see whether there was any improvement in relevant clinical dependent variables associated with the consequences of sexual abuse (i.e. trauma, self-esteem, anger, depression and challenging behaviour). Improvements occurred in sexual knowledge, trauma and depression. Neither self-esteem nor anger improved for most of the SG and challenging behaviour worsened at first before improving. Conclusions The SG seemed to be successful in improving sexual knowledge and in reducing trauma and depression, although challenging behaviours worsened at first before improving. There is a need for more sexual abuse/sexual education groups for men and women with intellectual disabilities.

A Systematic Review of the Effectiveness of Interventions to Prevent and Respond to Violence Against Persons With Disabilities

“…Sample sizes varied from 7 to 329 (Table 2), with a mean sample size of 95.4. Two of the studies (Mazzucchelli, 2001, and Peckham, Howlett, & Corbett, 2007) pointed out that their sample sizes were too small and that they probably lacked sufficient statistical power to detect effects had they been present. None of these studies, however, reports having performed power and sample-size calculations.…”

Learning Disability and Sexual Abuse: Use of a Woman‐Only Counselling Service by Women with a Learning Disability: A Pilot Study

“…A recent pioneering study in the North East by Peckham (2005) highlighted the effectiveness of group work for women with learning disabilities who had been sexually abused in both adulthood and childhood. As well as providing support to the women's carers, this study also helped the women decrease their trauma, depression and challenging behaviour.…”

PTSD in adults with intellectual disabilities: stabilisation during inpatient stay

“…Case reports present positive outcomes in clients with mild intellectual disabilities using modified interventions developed for neurotypical clients, such as exposure therapy in a safe situation while accompanied by a therapist (Fernando and Medlicott, 2009;Lemmon and Mizes, 2002); psychotherapy (Cook et al, 1993); group therapy (Mitchell et al, 2005;Peckham et al, 2007;Razza and Tomasulo, 2005); EMDR (Rodenburg et al, 2009) and cognitive-behavioural approaches (Kroese and Thomas, 2006;Turk et al, 2005;Willner, 2004).…”

“…To our knowledge, the articles published describe patients with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities (Lemmon and Mizes, 2002;Mitchell et al, 2005;Peckham et al, 2007;Razza and Tomasulo, 2005). Reports of successful treatment for people with more severe intellectual disabilities, who have experienced trauma, are nearly non-existent (Turk et al, 2005).…”