Feasibility of Beat It, a Behavioral Activation Intervention for Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disability within the U.S. Service System

Introduction Recent prevalence studies estimate that 5–10% of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) experience depression. Despite these trends, few evidence-based mental health interventions have been designed specifically for this population. To address this gap, Jahoda et al. (2017) developed Beat It, a manualized therapeutic approach adapted from behavioral activation for individuals with IDD.Methods This single-arm feasibility study was designed to be conducted at two outpatient clinics; however, one site withdrew before recruitment commences, resulting in data collection at a single location. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected using the Glasgow Depression Scale for People with Learning Disabilities (GDS-LD).Results Participants who completed the Glasgow Depression Scale at both pre- and post-intervention (n = 6) reported significantly improved depressive symptoms following the intervention. Glasgow Depression Scale scores decreased from pre-intervention (M = 23.50, SD = 3.70) to post-intervention (M = 14.83, SD = 6.96). A paired samples t-test indicated that this reduction was statistically significant, t(5) = 4.73, p = .005, reflecting a large within-participant effect (Cohen’s dz = 1.93). Qualitative findings revealed that participants valued the structured, manualized format and the accompanying materials, which were perceived as helpful and accessible.Conclusion Feasibility outcomes suggest that with minimal modifications to the study protocols and intervention materials to enhance acceptability, a larger-scale study can be conducted to further evaluate the effectiveness of Beat It in U.S. outpatient settings.