Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Voices in Patients with Intellectual Disability: Two Case Reports
Author Information
Author(s): Favrod Jérôme, Linder Sabrina, Pernier Sophie, Navarro Chafloque Mario
Primary Institution: Department of Psychiatry, University Hospital Center and University of Lausanne
Hypothesis
Can cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) be effectively adapted for patients with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities experiencing auditory hallucinations?
Conclusion
The case studies demonstrate that CBT can be feasibly applied to treat psychotic symptoms in individuals with intellectual disabilities.
Supporting Evidence
- Both patients showed improvement in managing their auditory hallucinations after CBT.
- Patient 1 reduced the frequency of voices from several times a day to several times a week.
- Patient 2 maintained progress in reducing the power attributed to voices over a two-year follow-up.
Takeaway
This study shows that talking therapies can help people with learning difficulties who hear voices, making it easier for them to cope.
Methodology
Two case studies were conducted with patients receiving modified CBT tailored to their cognitive abilities.
Potential Biases
The lack of control groups and reliance on subjective measures may introduce bias.
Limitations
The absence of control groups limits the validity of the results, and the small sample size restricts generalizability.
Participant Demographics
One female patient aged 38 with mild intellectual disability and one male patient aged 44 with moderate intellectual disability.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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