Outpatient Treatment for Persons with Mental Retardation

Positive group psychotherapy modified for adults with intellectual disabilities

“…Of equal importance is understanding the nature of the psychiatric disorders experienced by people with ID. Despite early misunderstandings and the unfounded assumptions of many mental health professionals, people with ID experience the same type of psychiatric illness as their nondisabled counterparts (Charlot, 1998; Nezu et al, 1992). Charlot’s research provides descriptions of symptoms that may vary from those more commonly seen in the nondisabled population—for example, people with ID suffering from depression frequently talk to themselves out loud, rather than ruminate silently.…”

“…These origins are similar to the dynamics affecting the general population and have been previously established as contributing to depression and other psychiatric disorders for a non-ID population. These factors, as reported in Nezu et al (1992), include such elements as low levels of social support, poorly developed social skills, a sense of learned helplessness, a low sense of self-efficacy, decreased inhibition in responding to stressful events, and fewer opportunities to learn adaptive coping styles. These circumstances are often best treated by group therapy in the general population because of the modality’s efficiency and effectiveness.…”