Content area
Purpose
This paper aims to understand the lived experience of people with intellectual disability of their anxiety and of being co-design partners in developing a multi-component approach to the management of anxiety.
Design/methodology/approach
The development of an anxiety manual and programme was part of a service development which allowed existing and established psychological therapies to be adapted for people with intellectual disability. A qualitative approach was used to better understand the views of people who experienced anxiety on a daily basis. The feedback generated was used to make modifications to the manuals and the anxiety management programme.
Findings
The study has demonstrated the value of involving people with intellectual disability in the co-production of an anxiety management programme. Additional findings identified the real-life challenges and experiences of the impact anxiety has on people’s lives.
Originality/value
To our knowledge, this is the first study to involve people with intellectual disability in developing an anxiety management programme as co-production partners. This paper underlines the value of understanding and involving people as co-production partners in developing clinical interventions.
Details
Intellectual disabilities;
Learning disabled people;
Handicapped accessibility;
Intervention;
Sustainability;
Mental disorders;
Autism;
Adaptation;
Co-design;
Feedback;
Discussion groups;
Cognition & reasoning;
Mental health care;
Intellectually disabled people;
Production;
Management;
People with disabilities
1 Community Learning Disability Services, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK; Centre for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disability (CANDDID), Chester, UK and Chester Medical School, University of Chester, Chester, UK
2 Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK
3 Learning Disability Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Acquired Brain Injury Services, Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, UK; Centre for Autism, Neurodevelopmental Disorders and Intellectual Disability (CANDDID), Chester, UK and Chester Medical School, University of Chester, Chester, UK
4 Chester Medical School, University of Chester, Chester, UK