Experiences of dialectical behaviour therapy in a community setting for individuals with intellectual disabilities

Abstract

Background: There is growing interest in the application of dialectical behaviour therapy (DBT) for individuals with intellectual disability (ID) and recent qualitative studies have explored their experiences of DBT in inpatient and forensic settings. This article aimed to explore experiences of DBT in a community setting for people with ID. Method: Eleven individuals recruited from two NHS Trusts were interviewed about their experiences of DBT. Interview data was analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Results: Four superordinate themes and eight subordinate themes emerged from the data. The first superordinate theme 'experience of power' captured participants experience of power within DBT. The second theme 'differences in therapy contexts' highlighted how participants had made sense of different therapeutic contexts. The third theme 'the experience of a positive therapeutic relationship' focused on the qualities and attitudes of the therapist. The fourth theme 'a new way of being' described the impact DBT had on participants' everyday lives and the shift in their sense of self. Discussion: This study provides insight into the lived experiences of people with ID receiving DBT. Therapeutic processes including the interplay between factors unique to DBT and features common across therapies are discussed.