Factors that influence outcomes for clients with an intellectual disability

Is counselling effective for clients with an intellectual disability? This question hovers in the minds of busy practitioners who question not only the ability of these clients to derive benefit from counselling but also their own ability to provide an effective service. However, this simplistic binary question does not do justice to the complexities of either the counselling process or the lives of those with an intellectual disability. A more useful question would be, ‘What factors influence the counselling outcomes of these clients?’ This review invites practitioners to refrain from questioning abilities, but rather to reflect on their practice in light of this latter question. Researchers are invited to broaden the scope of their inquiry to further assist practitioners’ reflections.