Using computers to teach people with intellectual disabilities to perform some of the tasks used within cognitive behavioural therapy: A randomised experiment

Abstract

full bibliographic details are credited, a hyperlink and/or URL is given for the original metadata page and the content is not changed in any way. A note on versions:The version presented here may differ from the published version or, version of record, if you wish to cite this item you are advised to consult the publisher's version. Please see the 'permanent WRAP url' above for details on accessing the published version and note that access may require a subscription. Results: Training significantly improved ability to discriminate between behaviours, thoughts and feelings pooled together, compared to the attention-control condition, even when controlling for baseline scores and IQ. Large within-group improvements in the ability to identify behaviours and feelings were observed for the training condition, but not the attention-control group. There were no significant between-group differences in ability to identify thoughts, or on cognitive mediation skills. Conclusions:A single session of computerised training can improve the ability of people with IDs to understand and practise CBT tasks relating to behaviours and feelings. There is potential for computerised training to be used as a "primer" for CBT with people with IDs to improve engagement and outcomes, but further development on a specific computerised cognitive mediation tasks is needed.

Intellectual disability and computers in therapy: Views of service users and clinical psychologists

“…The responses from our participating clinicians reflected their general opinion and expectations of computers in therapy, whereas service user views were informed by their experience of having previously participated in computerised training in CBT skills (Vereenooghe et al, 2016).…”

“…The service users were recruited from a sample of participants who had previously taken part in a computerised therapy skills training session (Vereenooghe et al, 2016). Service users had confirmed ID from their care coordinator (doctor or psychologist), were over 18 years old, and had sufficient verbal and cognitive skills to understand both the purpose of the research and to give informed consent.…”

“…Brief computerised training programmes may improve the ability of people with mild to moderate ID to gain some of the basic skills to engage in cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT; Vereenooghe, Gega, Reynolds, & Langdon, 2016;Vereenooghe, Reynolds, Gega, & Langdon, 2015). This is important because CBT has the potential to reduce anger problems and depression in people with ID (Vereenooghe & Langdon, 2013) but its underlying theoretical rationale is difficult to grasp (Dagnan, Mellor, & Jefferson, 2009;Joyce, Globe, & Moody, 2006;Oathamshaw & Haddock, 2006;Reed & Clements, 1989).…”

Putting the C into CBT: Cognitive challenging with adults with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities and anxiety disorders

“…These barriers have largely been challenged by emerging research demonstrating that individuals with ID do have some of the basic skills required for psychological therapy (these skills tend to be related to language and cognitive ability; Joyce, Globe, & Moody, 2006;Sams, Collins, & Reynolds, 2006). These basic abilities can also be taught, such as linking thoughts and feelings (Bruce, Collins, Langdon, Powlitch, & Reynolds, 2010;Vereenooghe, Reynolds, Gega, & Langdon, 2015) and discriminating between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (Vereenooghe, Gega, Reynolds, & Langdon, 2016). However, Vereenooghe et al (2016Vereenooghe et al ( , 2015 have also noted that the ability to identify mediating cognitions (i.e., the thought that leads to a specific emotion in a given situation) did not improve as a result of computerized training.…”

“…These basic abilities can also be taught, such as linking thoughts and feelings (Bruce, Collins, Langdon, Powlitch, & Reynolds, 2010;Vereenooghe, Reynolds, Gega, & Langdon, 2015) and discriminating between thoughts, feelings, and behaviours (Vereenooghe, Gega, Reynolds, & Langdon, 2016). However, Vereenooghe et al (2016Vereenooghe et al ( , 2015 have also noted that the ability to identify mediating cognitions (i.e., the thought that leads to a specific emotion in a given situation) did not improve as a result of computerized training. Interestingly, work by Barrowcliff, Jones, Oathamshaw, and McConachie (as cited in Vereenooghe et al, 2015) suggests that these cognitive mediation skills may instead improve as a result of CBT treatment itself.…”