Effects of a mindfulness-based stress reduction course on the psychological well-being of individuals with an intellectual disability
Intended for healthcare professionals
Evidence and practice    

Effects of a mindfulness-based stress reduction course on the psychological well-being of individuals with an intellectual disability

Richard Anderson Psychology graduate, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Karen McKenzie Professor of psychology, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Steve Noone Clinical psychologist, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust, Newcastle upon Tyne, England

Aim To evaluate the effect of a 12-week mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) course adapted for people with an intellectual disability (ID).

Methods Ten participants with ID completed measures of well-being and understanding of the concepts of mindfulness before and after the course, provided information about additional practice and gave feedback on the perceived benefits of the course.

Findings No significant difference was found between mean well-being or understanding scores before and after the course. A significant relationship was found between additional practice and post-course well-being scores. Perceived benefits of mindfulness included reduced stress, increased self-control and confidence.

Conclusion MBSR may be effective for people with ID but the benefits may not always be reflected in changes in questionnaire scores. The amount of practice of mindfulness exercises may be an important component of increasing well-being.

Learning Disability Practice. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2019.e1981

Peer review

This article has been subject to external double-blind peer review and has been checked for plagiarism using automated software

Correspondence

k.mckenzie@northumbria.ac.uk

Conflict of interest

None declared

Anderson R, McKenzie K, Noone S (2019) Effects of a mindfulness-based stress reduction course on the psychological well-being of individuals with an intellectual disability. Learning Disability Practice. doi: 10.7748/ldp.2019.e1981

Published online: 07 March 2019

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