Abstract
Caring for a child with an intellectual disability (ID) is associated with significant psychological distress. Interventions include cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and Mindfulness-based Stress Reduction (MBSR). Mindfulness-integrated CBT (MiCBT) may offer a balance between CBT’s change focus and MBSR’s acceptance focus for these parents. Five participants were recruited and provided one to one MiCBT tailored to parental carers of children with ID. Four participants completed the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales 21 (DASS-21) pre-treatment and post-treatment. Reliable change analysis was used to identify clinically reliable change. One participant dropped out after four sessions, four completed eight of the available eight sessions. Two participants reported reductions in depressive and stress symptoms, and one of these, additionally reported a reduction in anxiety symptoms. All four participants who completed treatment rated the treatment as acceptable. MiCBT shows promise as an intervention to assist parental carers of children with ID.
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Acknowledgements
Dr. Bruno Cayoun for comments on a draft manuscript. The study is partly sponsored through an anonymous donation through the University of Sydney Medical Foundation to Centre for Disability Studies.
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Osborn, R., Girgis, M., Morse, S. et al. Mindfulness-Integrated CBT (MiCBT) for Reducing Distress in Parents of Children with Intellectual Disability (ID): a Case Series. J Dev Phys Disabil 30, 559–568 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-018-9602-4
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10882-018-9602-4