Mindful Adaptations for Young Patients and Adults with Mild Cognitive Disabilities

Abstract

Young patients often encounter behavioral and communication challenges when interacting with adults. Adults with intellectual disabilities (ID) experience similar difficulties. There is a need to develop strategies that teach young patients and adults with intellectual disabilities practical and applicable mindfulness skills to either augment or support other behavioral or medical interventions. Biofeedback is a useful tool to teach these populations ways to increase their internal awareness of how emotions influence physiological sensations, while mindfulness helps them to focus on the present moment to control their emotions. This article presents the cases of Max and Robin to illustrate how mindfulness and biofeedback interventions can be adapted for younger patients and adults with ID in clinical settings. Clinicians used tangible visuals and overemphasized gestures to facilitate the understanding of our patients. Following these strategies, patients were able to understand changes in their physiological and emotional responses using biofeedback and mindfulness.