Using Experience Based Co-Design to Develop a Novel Psychological Intervention With People With Intellectual Disabilities and Stakeholders.
Olivia Hewitt, Peter E Langdon, Michael Larkin
PMID 39947925WHAT IT FOUND
People with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities co-designed an anxiety intervention using mental imagery.
They requested practical adaptations like recordings of exercises, multi-sensory cues, and flexible mood tracking. This describes the design process and stakeholder experience, not evidence that the intervention reduces anxiety.
Key findings
01The co-design process produced 24 specific refinements to the intervention, including adding recordings of therapist-led exercises for home practice and incorporating multi-sensory items like music or scents to enhance engagement.
02Participants identified that standard visual analogue scales were difficult to use, leading to a decision to change them to options with faces or fewer points to make daily mood recording more accessible.
03Stakeholders and people with intellectual disabilities reported that skilled facilitation and a clear structure were essential for feeling safe and able to contribute meaningfully to the research process.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
This is a design and acceptability study, not an efficacy trial. It does not report whether the resulting intervention reduces anxiety. The sample was limited to people with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities; findings do not apply to those with severe or profound disabilities. Most participants were female, which may limit the generalisability of findings to men with intellectual disabilities. The intervention was constrained to three pre-selected mental imagery components, so other potentially effective approaches were not considered.
Declared interests
The study was funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR). The authors declared no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the successful co-design process or positive participant feedback as evidence that the mental imagery intervention works. The study describes how the treatment was built and accepted, not whether it is effective for treating anxiety.