The effectiveness of group therapy for people with learning disabilities and anxiety management issues is reviewed. People with learning disabilities face increased levels of psychological distress compared to the general population, yet are often faced with a lack of social support and poor coping techniques to manage their distress. A 6-week…

This paper presents two studies using focus groups with people with learning disabilities. One study was about "What is it like for people with learning disabilities who have a family or friend with cancer?" and other study was about "How to break bad news to people with learning disabilities?" Two of the researchers had learning disabilities…

My name is Emma I am 28 years old and I have Down syndrome. This is an article about my story about becoming a researcher. This article has lots of photographs of me doing research. It has information about the things I did with research. It has examples of some of my research work. This article lets me share my story with other people. This…

Experiences of eight staff working with people who have a learning disability and complex mental health needs were explored by interviews and analysed using the free association narrative interview approach (Hollway & Jefferson 2000). Participants reported that organisational factors such as not having enough permanent staff and having to manage a…

It is well established that people with Down's syndrome are more likely to develop dementia than other people and that onset of dementia is likely to occur earlier at an earlier age. The article reports on a specialist service for people with Down's syndrome and dementia. The service has offered dementia screening and assessment to people with…

Self-efficacy has been reported to play a significant role in stress levels of parents facing challenging behaviours of their children with learning disabilities. The role of self-efficacy has also been found to affect the stress levels of professional caregivers in such situations. To understand the implications of staff self-efficacy in…

Research is lacking on the effect of the deaths of fellow service users on people with intellectual disabilities. This qualitative study formed part of a project which aimed to describe the provision of palliative care to people with intellectual disabilities in Ireland and to assess the population's palliative care needs. We report on findings…

Christine lives with her three children, Elizabeth, George and Louise. Following the unexpected death of her husband in December 2001, she has been offered practical support into the home, so that she can continue to look after her children. It has been a long struggle, getting the right support package into the home, and here, we tell Christine's…

This article is based on a study undertaken in 2005. It was conducted under the supervision of Professor Carolyn Kagan and with the approval of an ethics committee from the department of psychology and speech pathology at Manchester Metropolitan University. Case examples are explored of two male young offender prisoners who have Asperger syndrome…

Previous research has shown that identities and the attributes from which identities are inferred are negotiated within social interaction and language. The identity of having learning disabilities is commonly associated with ascriptions of lesser abilities than other people, and in turn might be inferred from such abilities. This study examines…

The study aimed to identify patterns of respite use and coping strategies among family caregivers in a region of Ireland. Firstly, we asked what child and family characteristics were associated with use of respite care. Secondly, we explored coping strategies reported by family carers. The study was undertaken with a view to informing respite…

In 2005, the Royal College of Psychiatry Faculty of Learning Disability's three judges unanimously awarded the inaugural Medical Student Essay Prize to Ian Harwood, a mature medical student at Barts & The London School of Medicine. This reflective piece records an undergraduate's contact with an adolescent suffering from advanced Sanfillipo…

Despite recurring concerns about the role and appropriate support of informal carers, little is known about the parental experience of caring for children with learning disabilities in Ireland. This study describes and analyses the nature and consequences of care and coping among parents of children (fewer than 16) with learning disabilities…

People with learning disabilities are more likely to experience sexual things happening to them when they do not want them to. This is called sexual abuse. A group was started to help women who have been sexually abused. The group met once a week and lasted for 20 weeks. Women who were interested in attending this group were given information…

An anxiety management group utilizing a cognitive behavioural intervention, of 12 weeks duration, for six people with mild to moderate learning disabilities is described. A number of techniques to assist in developing clients' understanding of their anxiety, cognitive and behavioural coping strategies and maximizing generalizability of skills…