Efficacy of psychotherapeutic and related interventions for children with intellectual disabilities in non-clinic settings – a review of the literature

Abstract

Objective: The paper aimed at reviewing the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions in children and young persons with learning disabilities in the community.Methods: This paper selected 13 studies based on an adapted definition of psychotherapeutic intervention. These selected studies were appraised with a data collection tool and a quality assessment instrument to enable data synthesis and interpretation of the results. A non-quantitative approach was used to report the findings.Results: One third of these studies were randomized control trials of which two were double-blind designs. This review found a varied range of research designs, intervention types, and participants. Observable behaviors were the most frequently measured outcomes. This review suggests there is some evidence to support the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic and related interventions in this population.Conclusion: There is the need for future research in childhood psychotherapy in intellectual disabilities to build on existing evidence base, be developmentally appropriate, and target specific behaviors that are measured objectively.