Pankey, J. (2008). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with Dually Diagnosed Individuals. Unpublished doctoral dissertation. University of Nevada, Reno.
Developmentally disabled individuals presenting with psychopathological symptoms present a challenge to service providers. It has been demonstrated that these individuals suffer from the same mental health difficulties as the general population, and that prevalence rates for Axis I disorders are slightly higher than the general population. The developmentally disabled-dually diagnosed (DD/DD) population has been served primarily pharmacologically rather than through psychotherapy. When intervention has been attempted, it has manifested primarily in the form of behavior modification or other structured behavioral intervention which seeks to change, control, eliminate, or modify symptoms. Specifically, cognitively disabled individuals with mood, anxiety, or other Axis I disorders have been taught to ignore or attempt to actively control negative or anxious ideations rather than to embrace or accept them; and to curtail behaviors which may arise surrounding negative evaluations or thoughts. The current study was a mini randomized controlled study designed to investigate the influence of an acceptance-based therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, (ACT), on the negative psychological content induced by Axis I disorders in developmentally disabled individuals. Results found that a brief group intervention for cognitively disabled individuals based on ACT improved functioning, reduced psychopathology, increased psychological flexibility, and increased time spent focused on the importance of values and living in line with one’s values. This pattern of results suggest that the principles underlying ACT treatment technology may assist individuals within the range of moderate mental retardation to borderline intellectual functioning with issues related to mental health.