Cognitive behavioural therapy for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures in the context of mild intellectual disability: a case study
Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities
ISSN: 2044-1282
Article publication date: 28 November 2020
Issue publication date: 28 November 2020
Abstract
Purpose
There is a growing evidence base for cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) as a treatment for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES) in the general population. Despite the relatively high proportion of individuals with PNES who have an intellectual disability (ID) there is a paucity of literature on the use of CBT for PNES in this population. The purpose of this paper is to describe the use of an adapted CBT approach to treat PNES in a woman with mild ID.
Design/methodology/approach
The intervention used a CBT approach that included both the client and her mother, her primary care giver, throughout the therapy sessions. It involved 13 1-hour sessions over 20 weeks.
Findings
Over the course of the intervention the client experienced a reduction in seizure activity. Both the client and her mother reported increases in her perceived ability to cope with the seizures.
Originality/value
This report describes an adapted CBT-based intervention for individuals with PNES in the context of ID. It is the first report to include the involvement of a care-giver in adapting this approach for individuals with ID.
Keywords
Citation
Diamond, P.R. and Delaney, C. (2020), "Cognitive behavioural therapy for psychogenic non-epileptic seizures in the context of mild intellectual disability: a case study", Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 14 No. 6, pp. 287-297. https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-07-2019-0019
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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