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A review of cognitive impairments in children with intellectual disabilities: Implications for cognitive behaviour therapy
Author(s) -
Hronis Anastasia,
Roberts Lynette,
Kneebone Ian I.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
british journal of clinical psychology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.479
H-Index - 92
eISSN - 2044-8260
pISSN - 0144-6657
DOI - 10.1111/bjc.12133
Subject(s) - psychology , psycinfo , intellectual disability , cognition , neuropsychology , population , clinical psychology , executive functions , borderline intellectual functioning , learning disability , executive dysfunction , developmental psychology , psychiatry , medline , medicine , environmental health , political science , law
Objective Nearly half of children with intellectual disability ( ID ) have comorbid affective disorders. These problems are chronic if left untreated and can significantly impact upon future vocational, educational, and social opportunities. Despite this, there is a paucity of research into effective treatments for this population. Notably, one of the most supported of psychological therapies, cognitive behaviour therapy ( CBT ), remains largely uninvestigated in children with ID . The current review considers the neuropsychological profile of children and adolescents with mild to moderate ID, with a view to informing how CBT might best be adapted for children and adolescents with ID . Method Narrative review of literature considering the neuropsychological profiles of children and adolescents with ID, with specific focus upon attention, memory, learning, executive functioning, and communication. Studies were identified through SCOPUS , Psyc INFO , and PubMed databases, using combinations of the key words ‘intellectual disability’, ‘learning disability’, ‘neuropsychology’, ‘attention’, ‘learning’, ‘memory’, ‘executive function’, ‘language’, and ‘reading’. Results Children with ID have significant deficits in attention, learning, memory, executive functions, and language. These deficits are likely to have a negative impact upon engagement in CBT . Suggestions for adapting therapy to accommodate these wide ranging deficits are proposed. Conclusions There are multiple cognitive factors which need to be considered when modifying CBT for children who have ID . Furthermore, research is required to test whether CBT so modified is effective in this population. Practitioner points Clinical implicationsEffective ways of providing cognitive behavioural therapy ( CBT ) to children with intellectual disability (ID) is unclear. This study provides a framework of potential adaptations for clinical practice As rates of mental illness for children with intellectual disability are high, and rates of treatment provision low, it is hoped that the recommendations provided in this study will encourage more mental health practitioners to provide CBT to children with ID.LimitationsThese recommendations are based only upon neuropsychological literature. Trialling the effectiveness of an adapted form of CBT for children and adolescents with ID is required. There are varying causes of intellectual disability, with differences in cognitive profiles. The utility of the recommendations made here may vary according to specific aetiologies.