Ms Charlottee Wardell, Dr Joseph Sakdalan, Dr Matt Frize, Mr Alejandro Avendano-Jones
The Cairnmillar Institute, Hawthorn East, Victoria 3123, Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, Forensic Disability Services Victoria, Fitzroy, Victoria 3065
Biography:
Charlotte is completing her Masters in Clinical Psychology at The Cairnmillar Institute, and has experience researching elements relating to Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), Autism, and the self. Charlottee has previously published research exploring the relationship between BPD and self-processing mechanisms in identity formation, and has worked on papers exploring effective means for adapting learning environments for those with mental health difficulties.
Abstract:
Due to dialectical behavioural therapy’s (DBT) emphasis on building emotion regulation skills and its capacity for group-based intervention, it has increasingly been adapted for and implemented in forensic settings, and has previously shown promising results when adapted for individuals with cognitive disabilities (Brown et al., 2013; Sakdalan et al., 2010).
The current study looks to assess the impact of an adapted DBT skills program implemented within Forensic Disability Services (FDS) Victoria across both community and custodial settings for individuals with an cognitive disability who have been convicted of an offence. The study aims to assess the programs impact on participants’ emotion regulation skills, and whether specific client characteristics, such as level of cognitive impairment or additional diagnoses, impact upon the efficacy of the treatment in improving emotion regulation skills and reducing problem behaviours.
Utilising data collected since the inception of the program at FDS in 2019, exploration of specific individual characteristics – including additional diagnoses, severity of cognitive disability, offending behaviours, or treatment setting – and their impact upon the efficacy of the treatment was reviewed.
Findings explore the impact of the DBT skills program on emotion regulation skills, as well as the impact of individual characteristics – such as additional diagnoses, severity of cognitive disability, offending behaviours, or treatment setting – on the efficacy of the program in developing emotion regulation skills.
The study provides further insight into treatment interventions for offenders with cognitive disabilities, while also detailing which individual characteristics may impact an individual’s suitability for the program and improving treatment delivery.