A Case Series Evaluation of Group Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Children with Intellectual Disabilities

Background: Mental illnesses are pervasive amongst children and adolescents with intellectual disabilities (ID), particularly anxiety disorders. To date, there has been limited research on the use of cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) as a potential treatment for this population. Fearless Me! (c) is an adapted CBT program specifically designed to treat anxiety in children and adolescents with mild to moderate ID. Method: Three children, aged between ten and sixteen, participated in group delivery of the Fearless Me! (c) program. Measures of anxiety were completed pre- and post-treatment by both the children and the parents. Results: For one child, a significant reduction in anxiety was observed, whilst another child showed significant improvement in emotional competence. Conclusions: This case series highlights the need for additional research into the utility of the adapted CBT program, Fearless Me! (c) to reduce anxiety in children and adolescents with ID.