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This paper aims to present the process of reviewing, adapting and evaluating, the second edition of the I Can Feel Good programme (Ashworth et al., 2018) and adapted DBT programme facilitated at a low-security psychiatric hospital for men with intellectual disability. Through the presentation of programme development, evaluation and revision, a more thorough and transparent understanding of the process involved can be disseminated.

The programme lasted approximately 14 months and covered all four modules. N = 5, all-male, ages ranged between 23 and 57 years old. All detained under the MHA (1983) with a primary diagnosis of Mild ID with comorbid psychiatric diagnoses including mental illness, autism spectrum disorders and personality disorder. To evaluate routine effectiveness a pre-post comparison within groups design was used. A standardised GAS approach provided a template to score the degree to which identified goals were achieved over the intervention for participants.

Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used due to data not meeting parametric assumptions regarding normal distribution. Except for the mindfulness module, all modules saw pre to post programme psychometric results in the desired direction, evidencing skills acquisition. Coping in crisis and managing feelings modules outcomes neared statistical significance, with the module of people skills demonstrating statistical significance (p < 0.05).

Upon examination of the results, it appears as though the second edition pilot programme, displayed initially promising results. The clinical and statistical aspects of the programme are explored, in the hope that clinicians may consider the programme’s application and utility within various clinical contexts, in addition to gaining insight into the process of programme development and refinement.

The purpose of this paper is to provide a routine evaluation of clinical effectiveness of an adapted DBT informed skills programme (“I Can Feel Good”; Ingamells and Morrissey, 2014), run on both male and female intellectual disability wards of a medium security psychiatric hospital.

A pre–post evaluation study of routine clinical practice was undertaken utilising staff report scales collected as the primary source of evaluation.

Findings show a positive shift regarding each module for both gender groups. Due to observed baseline differences between gender groups, data were separated and analysed separately. Non-parametric statistical analysis demonstrates statistically significant improvement across three modules for the male sample (managing feelings, coping in crisis and people skills) and two modules for the female sample (managing feelings and people skills).

There appears to be subtle outcome differences regarding this programme for both gender groups across modules. Potential reasons for this are discussed, along with clinical reflections regarding gender differences and adaptations. Reflections upon future revisions including the integration of the new DBT skills (Linehan, 2014) are made in light of these findings.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a feasibility study into the development and pilot of a psychoeducational group for people with intellectual disability and co-morbid mental disorder (including mental illness and personality disorder) within forensic settings.

“Mind Matters”, a psychoeducational programme for people with an intellectual disability and co-morbid mental disorders is a group based programme in a medium secure hospital, adapted and developed to be suitable for people with intellectual disability therapist multidisciplinary approach was key to its development. An open group on a 16-bedded ward for individuals with mild to moderate intellectual disability and co-morbid mental illness was delivered over a six-week period.

The group was positively received in pilot by participants and members of the clinical teams. Attendance and engagement of participants were key measures of the success of the programme. In addition to the apparent increased social skills and motivation to engage with future psychological intervention.

The authors believe that this approach benefitted both the group members and staff on ward, reinforcing strategies for maintaining positive mental health. It also stimulated engagement, discussion about mental disorders including mental illness, personality disorder and intellectual disabilities.

This paper shows how a psychoeducational approach to mental disorder and mental health in individuals with an intellectual disability is possible, beneficial and well received.

Individuals with an intellectual disability (ID) develop mental health difficulties at similar rates to individuals in the general population. Using Patient Reported Outcome Measures can help track deterioration and improve the outcomes of individuals seeking help for their difficulties. The Clinical Outcome in Routine Evaluation-Learning Disabilities (CORE-LD) is a multi-trait measure of psychological distress which has shown moderate test-rest reliability. However, the CORE-LD is yet to be validated for the population it was designed for. Therefore the purpose of this paper is to establish the concurrent validity of the CORE-LD in a population of individuals with a diagnosis of mild–moderate ID.

Participants with a diagnosis of mild–moderate ID, as well as other co-morbidities, were recruited from two UK inpatient hospitals and asked to complete the CORE-LD and its general population counterpart the Clinical Outcome in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM).

Statistically significant differences were found regarding the CORE-LD across gender, with females scoring higher on the CORE-LD than males. There was no significant difference between security levels. The overall mean scores on each measure were moderately correlated. The data from this analysis suggest a significant positive correlation (r_s=0.68).

This initial study’s findings have demonstrated the CORE-LD may have concurrent validity, and further replication studies in larger and more diverse samples are needed.

Many in contact with the criminal justice system (CJS) have complex needs, including autism. The purpose of this paper is to present the development, design and evaluation of a training package designed to increase awareness that Youth Offending Team (YOT) staff members in the UK have of autism in the CJS (Talbot, 2010). Training quality and effectiveness was assessed. This paper aims to highlight the need for organisations/individuals providing training services relating to autism to be transparent, evidence based and open to sharing best practice. By evaluating practice, disseminating findings and hopefully providing mutual support, trainers can create networks to enhance the value of training provision, ultimately increasing the quality of support offered to individuals with autism.

A training package relating to autism in forensic systems was developed and delivered to staff working within a UK YOT. Levels of self-reported knowledge and confidence in working with individuals with autism are measured by evaluation questionnaires completed pre- and post-training.

Results demonstrate a significant increase in self-reported knowledge and confidence in working with individuals with autism within the CJS following training.

This highlights the potential for evidence-based staff training to enhance individuals’ practice working with individuals with autism within the CJS.

There are few reliable psychometric measures of the psychopathology of offenders with intellectual disabilities (ID). However, previous research has indicated that the emotional problems scale (EPS) is useful in identifying a range of treatment needs and in predicting risk to self and others. The purpose of this paper is to compare the severity of the emotional and behavioural problems of a small sample of offenders with ID in medium and low secure services, as assessed by EPS. Additionally, the data are tentatively compared with those reported in previous research to precipitate discussion regarding the changes in clinical populations in secure care over time.

The study collected demographic and EPS data for patients with ID (n=25) on medium secure and a low secure wards. Data were collected as part of routine clinical practice, with EPS forms being completed by nursing and other multi-disciplinary staff.

It was found that there was no statistically significant difference in EPS scores between medium and low secure patients with ID. The authors also highlight differences between the current sample and the normative data collected by previous research.

The data regarding the psychopathology of medium and low secure patients with ID provide insight into the ever changing resourcing needs and risk profiles of this complex patient group. In addition, there is a dearth of empirical research that comments on the clinical differences observed over time in forensic populations. As the current data differ from pre-existing normative data, the potential shift in populations and also implications for the accuracy of clinical decision making based on the assessment are discussed.

There is a dearth of positive, proactive, sexual-health education programmes available for individuals with intellectual disabilities (IDs). This paper aims to provide an overview of the development, pilot and evaluation of a programme aimed at increasing awareness of the intricacies and risks of sexual health, intercourse and relationships. This programme covers relevant topics in a non-judgemental, informative and supportive approach.

A pre-post comparison within-group design was used (N = 14). The programme was run separately across three in-patient ID secure services within the UK and lasted for 16 weeks. The measure used to explore change was the sexual attitudes and knowledge questionnaire (SAK; Heighway and Webster, 2007).

Scores indicated improvement across all sub-factors as measured by the SAK, although no results reached statistical significance using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Qualitative feedback indicated the benefits of this programme in relation to participants’ increased knowledge and confidence. Results have been discussed in terms of both the statistical analysis and clinical implication.

Results have been discussed in terms of statistical analysis and clinical implications with the aim of clinicians considering the programme’s application and utility within various clinical contexts. Additionally, gaining insight into the process of programme development and refinement, including future directions.

Although it was ordained in the Beginning, we are told, that mankind should have dominion over the fish of the sea, it is only within comparatively recent times that the ocean has provided man with that very substantial proportion of his food supply now deriving from this source. More and still greater weights of fish are taken from the sea each year, but the food requirements of a hungry world are increasing too, at a rate that is a persistent source of alarm to many, so that any design or device that may decrease wastage and thus expand the quantities of food available, must be given careful thought and consideration. The case for utilising aureomycin or some other antibiotic to reduce fish spoilage has a not unreasonable aspect, but at this year's conference of the Public Health Inspectors' Association, Mr. John D. Syme, who is Chief Port Health Inspector at Grimsby, and should therefore know something about the fishing industry, came out fairly strongly against the idea; he feared it might cause a lowering of standards of hygiene on fishing vessels, and although the duration of voyages could be lengthened, he doubted whether in the long run the condition of the fish on landing would show any improvement. He regarded the step proposed as retrograde and contrary to the generally accepted trend of recent years toward the production of purer food and the elimination of preservatives as far as possible.

The purpose of this paper is to present the development and evaluation of an original training package for staff members on an awareness of an adapted Dialectical Behaviour Therapy programme, the “I Can Feel Good” programme (Ingamells and Morrissey, 2014) designed for individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and problems managing emotions. The quality and effectiveness of the training was assessed and is reported in this paper.

The training was delivered for staff working with individuals with ID in a UK medium-secure psychiatric hospital and was attended by nursing staff. The workshop consisted of six modules: “Introduction to the programme”, “Mindfulness”, “Managing feelings”, “Coping in Crisis”, “People skills” and “Application and summary”. Level of self-reported knowledge, confidence and motivation regarding seven aspects of the training was measured by an evaluation questionnaire completed pre and post training.

The results of this study showed that following the training there was a significant increase in self-reported knowledge, confidence and motivation regarding the seven aspects of the training. When perceptions of staff behaviours are observed, although in the right direction, this change was found not to be significant.

This study highlights the potential for staff training to increase awareness of newly adapted therapeutic programmes for individuals with ID. The staff training may increase their ability and willingness to facilitate the running of such programmes and ability to support learning transfer in group members.

SINCE I have spent the better part of fifteen years parading in the public arena the superiority which attaches to me by reason of not possessing a television set, I had better now come clean and reveal that immediately before Christmas my wife and I changed our minds and rented one for a trial period of six months.