Dialectical Behaviour Therapy [DBT] with People with Intellectual Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Narrative Analysis

BACKGROUND: There is mixed evidence regarding the effectiveness of psychological therapies for people with intellectual and developmental disorders. Although systematic reviews have supported the use of dialectical behaviour therapy with people with borderline personality disorder, there are no comparable reviews regarding DBT with people with intellectual and development disabilities. METHODS: Studies were identified using a systematic approach and were selected if they reported an intervention that included a DBT skills group and then assessed using the Evaluative Method for Determining Evidence Based Practice. RESULTS: Seven studies reported adaptations and outcomes of DBT for people with intellectual and development disabilities, four of which delivered full DBT programmes with three describing DBT skills groups. All studies were appraised with regard to methodological quality and the adaptations and results examined. CONCLUSIONS: The findings indicate that DBT and DBT skills groups can be adapted for people with intellectual and development disabilities, but further high-quality research is needed to make conclusions about efficacy and effectiveness.