Using a Mindfulness-Based Procedure in the Community: Translating Research to Practice

Abstract

Maladaptive behaviors, such as aggressive and disruptive behaviors, are a significant risk factor for maintaining community placement by individuals with intellectual disabilities. When experienced researchers provide training to individuals with intellectual disabilities on a mindfulness-based strategy, Meditation on the Soles of the Feet, the individuals are able to effectively self-manage their maladaptive behaviors. We investigated whether similar effectiveness would be found if community-based therapists provided the training to similar individuals living in the community. Three adults with mild intellectual disabilities and mental illness living in the community were taught by a community-based therapist to use this strategy to control maladaptive behaviors that included verbal aggression, disruptive behavior and physical aggression. They were taught to shift the focus of their attention from the negative emotions that triggered their maladaptive behavior to a neutral stimulus, the soles of their feet. All three individuals were able to reduce their maladaptive behaviors to near-zero levels and maintain their community placement that they had been at risk for losing, due to their maladaptive behavior. Subjective measures of various psychological symptoms showed a reduction in two of the individuals. Our study suggests that the demonstrated effectiveness of Meditation on the Soles of the Feet can be achieved by a community-based therapist.Keywords Maladaptive behavior Á Meditation on the soles of the feet Á Community placement Á Verbal and physical aggression Á Disruptive behavior Á Research to practice

A systematic review of mindfulness intervention for individuals with developmental disabilities: Long-term practice and long lasting effects

“…The outstanding results of this study, reduction of aggressive behaviour to zero and a community living arrangement, showed the potential of mindfulness practice as an alternative to behavioural intervention for individuals with developmental disabilities (DD). Follow-up studies confirmed its use as a selfmanagement strategy for aggressive behaviours (e.g., Adkins, Singh, Winton, McKeegan, & Singh, 2010;Singh et al, 2011a;Singh et al, 2011b;Singh et al, 2007a), deviant sexual arousal (Singh et al, 2011c) and anxiety and obsessive thinking (Brown & Hooper, 2009).…”

The Experiences of People with an Intellectual Disability of a Mindfulness-Based Program

“…More recently, Griffith et al (2016) suggested that interventions integrating mindfulness may be useful for people with ID, as unlike multicomponent procedures, the core of mindfulness is centred on one aspect: the ability to shift the focus of one's attention, allowing an individual time to calm themselves and choose how to react to a triggering thought or event (Adkins et al 2010). There are many definitions of mindfulness; however, it is generally understood as intentionally focusing one's attention on the present moment experience, in a non-judgemental and accepting way (Kabat-Zinn 1990).…”

“…The research into mindfulness-based practices used with people with ID is more limited; however, researchers have reported reductions in physical and verbal aggression (Singh et al 2008); depression (Idusohan-Moizer et al 2015), anxiety and aggression (Adkins et al 2010); and deviant sexual arousal (Singh et al 2011). A systematic review (Hwang and Kearney 2013) and a systematic review and narrative analysis of mindfulness-based approaches for people with ID found a number of methodological limitations in the reviewed papers (some of which were included in both reviews).…”

Mixed Experiences of a Mindfulness-Informed Intervention: Voices from People with Intellectual Disabilities, Their Supporters, and Therapists

“…In the USA, Soles of the Feet (SoF) meditation has been developed as a way of making MBPs accessible to people with ID (Singh et al 2011) It has been successfully used in ID populations to self-manage anger and at long-term follow up has resulted in reported reductions or total elimination of aggressive behaviours (Adkins et al 2010;Singh et al 2003Singh et al , 2007Singh et al , 2008Singh et al , 2011. A systematic review found the most frequent objective of MBPs for people with ID was the reduction of aggressive behaviour (explored in 7/12 studies), and of these, all reported a reduction after participating in an MBP (Hwang and Kearney 2013).…”