Depression, Social Context and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for People who have Intellectual Disabilities

Background It is striking that although cognitive behavioural therapy was developed to treat depression in the general population, there remains a paucity of research concerning its application to people with intellectual disabilities. Recent research points to the importance of understanding people's distress in the context of their particular life experience. Areas to be addressed This paper examines how the life experience of people with intellectual disabilities may influence the nature of their self‐perceptions and their vulnerability to depression. In addition to considering the impact of experience on the content of participants’ self‐perceptions, evidence concerning the mediating role played by cognitive factors in the genesis and maintenance of depression is also reviewed. Conclusions These strands of research are discussed in the light of existing CBT models of depression, along with potential adaptations of interventions for people with intellectual disabilities.