Evidence-Based Practice and Intellectual Disabilities

Evidence-Based Practice and Intellectual Disabilities responds to the recent increased focus on, and need for, the use of evidence-based practice (EBP) in treating intellectual disabilities.

• The first book wholly dedicated to addressing EBP specifically in relation to intellectual disabilities
• Provides clinical guidelines based on the strength of evidence of treatments for a given problematic behavioral topography or disorder
• Highly relevant to a wide-ranging audience, including professionals working in community services, clinicians and parents and carers

Contributors vii

Preface xi

Acknowledgments xv

Part I Foundational Issues and Overview 1

1 Evidence-Based Practice: An Introduction 3
Peter Sturmey

2 Adaptive Behavior 29
Peter Sturmey

3 Maladaptive Behavior 62
Peter Sturmey

4 But Is It Worth It? 85
Peter Sturmey

Part II Specific Disorders and Challenging Behaviors 101

5 Aggressive Behavior 103
Olive Healy, Sinéad Lydon, and Clodagh Murray

6 Self-Injurious Behavior 133
Jeff Sigafoos, Mark F. O’Reilly, Giulio E. Lancioni, Russell Lang, and Robert Didden

7 Stereotypic Behavior 163
Timothy R. Vollmer, Amanda B. Bosch, Joel E. Ringdahl, and John T. Rapp

8 Feeding Problems 198
Keith E. Williams, Laura J. Seiverling, and Douglas G. Field

9 Sleep Problems 219
Robert Didden, Wiebe Braam, Anneke Maas, Marcel Smits, Peter Sturmey, Jeff Sigafoos, and Leopold Curfs

10 Anxiety Disorders 235
Peter Sturmey, William R. Lindsay, Tricia Vause, and Nicole Neil

11 Mood Disorders 261
Peter Sturmey and Robert Didden

12 Offenders with Developmental Disabilities 280
Peter Sturmey and Klaus Drieschner

Index 292

Peter Sturmey is Professor of Psychology at Queens College and the Graduate Center, City College of New York, and a visiting professor at The Department of Dentistry, University College London. He is an Associate Editor for Research in Developmental Disabilities and Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders. Professor Sturmey has published widely on developmental disabilities such as autism, clinical case formulation, staff and parent training, restrictive behavioral interventions, and behavior analytic approaches to psychopathology.

Robert Didden is Professor of Intellectual Disabilities, Learning and Behaviour at the Behavioral Science Institute and School of Education of the Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands. He is a psychologist at Trajectum, a center for the treatment of clients with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities and behavioral and psychiatric disorders. Professor Didden is an associate editor for Review Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders and Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities.

Maladaptive behaviors and psychiatric disorders are common in individuals with intellectual disabilities. In clinical practice as well as in scientific literature much attention is given to the diagnosis, analysis and treatment of such disorders. Evidence-based practice (EBP) has become an important international movement in psychotherapy, and recent years have shown an increased focus on - and need for - the use of EBP in treatment in the field of intellectual disabilities. This is the first book dedicated to specifically addressing EBP in this area.

The authors review the current evidence base for behavioral and psychiatric disorders common in children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Treatment modalities are reviewed according to criteria for evidence based practice. In addition to this, clinical guidelines are given based on the strength of evidence of treatments for a given problematic behavioral topography or disorder. Evidence-Based Practice and Intellectual Disabilities will be highly relevant to a wide audience, including professionals working in community services, clinicians working in special education schools, residential facilities, and psychiatric hospitals, and parents and organizations involved in the care of individuals with intellectual disabilities.