Individual cognitive-behavioural anger treatment for people with mild-borderline intellectual disabilities and histories of aggression: a controlled trial

Taylor, John, Gillmer, Bruce, Novaco, Raymond, Robertson, Alison and Thorne, Ian (2005) Individual cognitive-behavioural anger treatment for people with mild-borderline intellectual disabilities and histories of aggression: a controlled trial. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 44 (3). pp. 367-382. ISSN 0144-6657

[img]
Preview
Text (Full text)
MainOutcomeATM'Script-REVISEDSUBMITTED02-05-04.pdf - Accepted Version

Download (267kB) | Preview
Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1348/014466505X29990

Abstract

Objectives - Anger is a significant predictor and activator of violent behaviour in patients living in institutional settings. There is some evidence for the value of cognitive-behavioural treatments for anger problems with people with intellectual disabilities. In this study, a newly designed treatment targeted at anger disposition, reactivity, and control was provided to intellectually disabled offenders with aggression histories living in secure settings.

Design - About forty detained patients with mild-borderline intellectual disabilities and histories of serious aggression were allocated to specially modified cognitive-behavioural anger treatment (AT group) or to routine care waiting-list control (RC group) conditions.

Methods - AT group participants received 18 sessions of individual treatment. The AT and RC groups were assessed simultaneously at 4 time points: screen, pre- and post-treatment, and at 4-month follow-up using a range of self- and staff-rated anger measures. The effectiveness of the treatment was evaluated using ANCOVA linear trend analyses of group differences on the main outcome measures.

Results - The AT group's self-reported anger scores on a number of measures were significantly lower following treatment, compared with the RC wait-list condition, and these improvements were maintained at follow-up. Limited evidence for the effectiveness of treatment was provided by staffs' ratings of patient behaviour post-treatment.

Conclusions - Detained men with mild-moderate intellectual disabilities and histories of severe aggression can successfully engage in, and benefit from, an intensive individual cognitive-behavioural anger treatment that also appears to have beneficial systemic effects.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: First author and corresponding author
Subjects: C800 Psychology
Department: Faculties > Health and Life Sciences > Psychology
Depositing User: EPrint Services
Date Deposited: 18 Dec 2008 09:23
Last Modified: 01 Aug 2021 09:15
URI: http://nrl.northumbria.ac.uk/id/eprint/3094

Actions (login required)

View Item View Item

Downloads

Downloads per month over past year

View more statistics