Page 133 - Post-traumatic stress disorder in adults with mild intellectual disability: Screening, assessment, and brief intensive EMDR therapy

General discussion
and sensitivity were determined at a cut-off score of 18. Although the
proxy version of the TS-ID demonstrated excellent internal consistency
(Cronbach’s α = .93), it did not statistically distinguish PTSD in adults with
MID-BIF. These findings underline the potential of the TS-ID self-report
version as a reliable screening instrument for identifying PTSD in adults
with MID-BIF while also highlighting the limitations of the TS-ID proxy-report
version when used in these individuals.
The third study, presented in Chapter 4, examined the safety and
effectiveness of brief intensive EMDR therapy delivered by a team of
rotating therapists for 11 adults with MID-BIF, PTSD and severe behavioural
problems. The findings showed significant decreases in PTSD symptoms,
with nine out of eleven participants no longer meeting the PTSD diagnostic
criteria immediately after treatment and at the 9-week follow-up. Although
some participants showed small to medium improvements in adaptive
behaviour and behavioural problems, these changes were not consistent
across participants and therefore did not indicate an overall pattern of
improvement for the participant group. The latter conclusion also applies
to the use of involuntary care measures. Only one participant dropped out
of the therapy and declined to complete further questionnaires for Study 3
(Chapter 4). The intervention showed no adverse events, underscoring its
safety. These results suggest that brief intensive EMDR therapy with a team
of rotating therapists is a safe and effective treatment option for reducing
PTSD symptoms in adults with MID-BIF and severe behavioural problems.
The fourth study, as described in Chapter 5, qualitatively explored the
experiences of three adults with MID-BIF, PTSD and severe behavioural
problems who received brief intensive EMDR therapy with rotating
therapists. Interpretative phenomenological analysis revealed that
the participants started intensive EMDR therapy while holding high
expectations of the extent to which the treatment might change their lives.
One participant discontinued therapy early, and two completed the therapy.
All participants reported positive experiences with intensive therapy, and
two expressed positive experiences with the therapists’ rotation format.
Intensity was perceived to support continuity and engagement, particularly
when compared with weekly therapy sessions. Minimal involvement of
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