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The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the usefulness of a Healthy Living Group (HLG) for individuals with learning disabilities and mental health problems in an inpatient setting.

Seven sessions were developed. Each session focussed on a different aspect of healthy living, and used psychoeducation and practical skill building to enable individuals to create personalized healthy living plans. Quantitative post-intervention measures and a qualitative focus group were used to determine group participants’ learning and enjoyment.

Principles about healthy living were successfully taught in an enjoyable way to individuals with learning disabilities. Factors that enhanced learning and those that created barriers to developing healthy living plans are explored.

Individuals with learning disabilities and mental health problems can be supported to develop personalized healthy living plans. Recommendations for further adaptations to the group structure are made, in order to enable others to run successful groups.

The HLG is the first of its kind to be developed for individuals with learning disabilities.

Individuals with autism and intellectual disability (ID) have increased needs regarding social interaction. Social skills interventions have focussed on children; however, development of these skills is important across the lifespan. The purpose of this paper is to critically review strategies and interventions used to develop social skills with adults with autism and ID.

A systematic literature search identified five studies meeting inclusion criteria.

Positive outcomes were reported in promoting positive social behaviours. However, it is not possible to make conclusions regarding the efficacy of social skills interventions for this population due to the limited quantifiable data and small sample sizes.

The limited number of studies in the review impacts on its conclusions. Two of the papers included only one participant with both ID and autism.

A range of people need to be involved in supporting and developing social skills (peers, care staff, professionals). More research is needed in a variety of settings. Future research should attend to consistency of outcome measurement, service user perspectives, generalisation of skills, and documenting consent procedures.

This review focussed on interventions for both positive and negative social behaviours used with adults with ID (of all levels) and autism.

The purpose of this paper is to report on a study into the lived experience of skin picking disorder (SPD) and to explore the psychological impact of the disorder.

Researchers employed a qualitative phenomenological approach, using Interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA).

The study found that the sense of shame, common among participants, led to self-stigma, hiding, concealing and avoidance. Shame of SPD also interplayed with and compounded the shame of loneliness.

Limitations included a lack of a longitudinal component to the work. This is deemed important, as both the SPD and the experience of loneliness can shift over time as circumstances change, and individuals develop strategies for coping or, conversely, experience a worsening of the condition and the shame, loneliness and social isolation it can induce.

This study draws attention to the complex nature of both SPD and loneliness. It highlights how those living with the disorder are reluctant to seek help, resulting in low rates of treatment access and distrust in health providers.

As SPD is little understood, it can be erroneously deemed a “choice”; seldom discussed as a condition, it can lead to exclusion and withdrawal. The sense of shame of both appearance and behaviour interplays with and compounds the shame of loneliness and can force the individual into a further cycle of withdrawal and isolation.

While research suggests SPD should be acknowledged as a public health issue, research and literature is still relatively limited, and there are no qualitative phenomenological studies as yet that report on the lived experience of SPD.