The Aberrant Behavior Checklist in a Clinical Sample of Autistic Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities and Co-Occurring Mental Health Problems: Psychometric Properties, Factor Structure, and Longitudinal Measurement Invariance.

The Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC) was originally developed to evaluate interventions, and is a well-established assessment tool for challenging behaviours in people with intellectual disabilities and autistic people. However, whether the ABC displays longitudinal measurement invariance (i.e.

Mental Health Services for Adults With Intellectual Disabilities: A Qualitative Study of Patient Characteristics, Associated Factors and Consequent Needs for Adaptation in Assessment and Treatment.

Background: Individuals with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk of mental health disorders, but may struggle to access appropriate services. While assessment/treatment may need to be adapted, knowledge is limited about what such adaptations may entail.

Method: During a service development project, the participants (33 professionals, 13 family members) were asked to identify the characteristics/associated factors of individuals with intellectual disabilities and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Evaluation of health services and treatment alliance among extensively hospitalized patients due to severe self-harm - results from the Extreme Challenges project.

Background: Extensive psychiatric hospitalization due to repeated severe self-harm (SH), is a poorly researched area, but a challenge within health services (HS). Recent studies have demonstrated high levels of involuntary treatment among patients with severe personality disorder (PD) and complex comorbidity. Keeping focus on extensively hospitalized SH patients, this study aimed to investigate patients' and clinicians' evaluation of HS and treatment alliance.

Applicability and Psychometric Properties of General Mental Health Assessment Tools in Autistic People: A Systematic Review.

In recent years, there has been a proliferation of instruments for assessing mental health (MH) among autistic people. This study aimed to review the psychometric properties of broadband instruments used to assess MH problems among autistic people. In accordance with the PRISMA guidelines (PROSPERO: CRD42022316571) we searched the APA PsycINFO via Ovid, Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid Embase and the Web of Science via Clarivate databases from 1980 to March 2022, with an updated search in January 2024, to identify very recent empirical studies.

Schizophrenia in Autistic People with Intellectual Disabilities. Treatment and Interventions.

Autistic people with intellectual disabilities appear to be at increased risk of schizophrenia. While current recommendations emphasize adapting interventions used for people with schizophrenia in general, few studies to date have investigated treatment of co-occurring schizophrenia in this specific population. To explore what interventions are provided to autistic people with intellectual disabilities and co-occurring schizophrenia in specialized mental health services, and to investigate whether changes in mental health symptoms and challenging behavior occurred during treatment.

A call for trauma-informed dental care for individuals with intellectual disabilities.

People with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk of dental anxiety and poor oral health. In addition, people with intellectual disabilities are at increased risk of potentially traumatic experiences, such as violence and sexual abuse, and appear to be more vulnerable to developing trauma-related disorders following such experiences. While psychological trauma is associated with poor oral health and dental anxiety in the general population, the potential link between dental anxiety, poor oral health and psychological trauma is yet to be explored in people with intellectual disabilities.

Mental health disorders, functioning and health-related quality of life among extensively hospitalized patients due to severe self-harm - results from the Extreme Challenges project.

Background: Severe self-harm leading to extensive hospitalization generates extreme challenges for patients, families, and health services. Controversies regarding diagnoses and health care often follow. Most evidence-based treatments targeting self-harm are designed for borderline personality disorder (BPD).

Post-traumatic stress disorder and experiences involving violence or sexual abuse in a clinical sample of autistic adults with intellectual disabilities: Prevalence and clinical correlates.

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health disorder that may be triggered by the experience of events perceived as terrifying or overwhelming. Examples of such events include being the victim of violence or sexual abuse. Compared with other people, autistic people have increased risk of being exposed to violence or sexual abuse.

Schizophrenia in autistic people with intellectual disabilities: Symptom manifestations and identification.

Background: The assessment of schizophrenia in autistic people with intellectual disabilities is challenging. This study aimed to explore the identification of schizophrenia in this population.

Methods: Using data from a clinical multi-centre study, reported symptoms in 26 autistic individuals with intellectual disabilities diagnosed with co-occurring schizophrenia were explored.

Bias in assessment of co-occurring mental disorder in individuals with intellectual disabilities: Theoretical perspectives and implications for clinical practice.

Influence from bias is unavoidable in clinical decision-making, and mental health assessment seems particularly vulnerable. Individuals with intellectual disabilities have increased risk of developing co-occurring mental disorder. Due to the inherent difficulties associated with intellectual disabilities, assessment of mental health in this population often relies on a different set of strategies, and it is unclear how these may affect risk of bias.

Experiences of ward atmosphere in inpatients with intellectual disability and mental illness: clinical implications for mental health nursing.

Patients with intellectual disability in psychiatric services are rarely asked about their experiences when admitted to inpatient units. To enhance the understanding of ward atmosphere for inpatients with co-occurring intellectual disabilities (ID) and mental illness by exploring patients' experiences from a specialised mental health inpatient unit. A selected sample of 10 adults with comorbid mental illness and ID were recruited for a qualitative interview study based on Gunderson's conceptualisation of therapeutic components in mental health wards.

Case study: identification of anxiety and subsequent intervention in an adolescent male with autism, severe intellectual disability and self-injurious behaviour.

: Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent in individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), but knowledge is limited regarding identification and treatment of these disorders in individuals with ASD and more severe levels of intellectual disability (ID). The current case study aims to explore and describe the inpatient, psychiatric assessment in an adolescent male with ASD, severe ID and self-injurious behaviour (SIB) who was diagnosed with a co-occurring anxiety disorder. The study further aims to explore the implications of this diagnosis for subsequent intervention and care, including management of SIB.

Psychometric properties of the Psychopathology in Autism Checklist (PAC).

Psychiatric disorders in individuals with co-occurring autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are common, but diagnosis presents many challenges. The Psychopathology in Autism checklist (PAC) is among the very few instruments specifically developed for this group of individuals. The psychometric properties of the PAC (i.

Pathological demand avoidance in children and adolescents: A systematic review.

Requests for diagnoses of pathological demand avoidance have increased over recent years, but pathological demand avoidance remains a controversial issue. The concept of pathological demand avoidance has been criticised for undermining the self-advocacy of autistic people and neglecting the potential role of anxiety as a possible underlying or contributing cause. The current study was undertaken to summarise and review the methodological quality and findings from current research into pathological demand avoidance in children and adolescents.

Potentially traumatic experiences and behavioural symptoms in adults with autism and intellectual disability referred for psychiatric assessment.

Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) more frequently experience potentially traumatic events (PTEs), and may be more vulnerable to trauma-related symptoms. However, it is unclear how such symptoms are captured on tools used for behavioural and psychiatric assessment in this population.

Aims: To explore whether and how PTEs are associated with symptom reports in adults with ASD and ID.

Case study: organizing outpatient pharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder in autism, intellectual disability and Phelan-McDermid syndrome (22q13.3 deletion syndrome).

Phelan-McDermid syndrome (PHMDS)/22q13.3 deletion syndrome is a rare genetic disorder associated with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), intellectual disability (ID), and bipolar disorder. While numerous cases have been reported describing successful pharmacological treatment of bipolar disorder in PHMDS, there is currently little guidance available on how to organize and execute such treatment.

"If we do not look for it, we do not see it": Clinicians' experiences and understanding of identifying post-traumatic stress disorder in adults with autism and intellectual disability.

Background: Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability (ID) are at increased risk of potentially traumatic events and may be at increased risk of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, knowledge regarding identification of PTSD in this population is limited. The aim of this study was to investigate clinical experience regarding PTSD and trauma assessment in individuals with co-occurring ASD and ID.

Metyrosine treatment in a woman with chromosome 22q11.2 deletion syndrome and psychosis: a case study.

People with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome (DS) are assumed to be especially vulnerable to developing mental illness such as psychosis. The study was established to contribute to knowledge about metyrosine medication in patients with 22q11.

The Use of Validation in Mental Health Nursing for Adults with Intellectual Disabilities and Mental Illness: A Descriptive Study.

Mental health nursing for adults with intellectual disabilities and mental illness is understudied. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of validation in mental health nursing for patients with intellectual disabilities and additional mental illness in a specialised psychiatric inpatient setting. Ten nurses/social educators and four individual therapists described the use of validation; each provided three vignettes with clinical examples.