Ana Dolado Contreras
Fundación A LA PAR, Spain
Title: Traumatic symptoms assessment battery for people with intellectual disabilities: depression, anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder
Biography
Biography: Ana Dolado Contreras
Abstract
Statement of the Problem: Compared to general population, people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are exposed to a high number of traumatic events throughout their lives and those events will affect their quality of life (QoL) due to a higher vulnerability to cope with extraordinary situations. The specificity of the traumatic symptomatology and the difficulties that clinicians have to understand these symptoms, complicate the ability to provide adequate psychosocial care. Literature reports a high prevalence of anxiety, depression and post- traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms in people with ID who have experienced traumatic events. Despite the impact this has on their QoL, on their emotional state and on their environment, there are no validated scales in Spanish which help clinicians to make an accurate diagnosis in order to provide more specialized interventions.
Aim: The aim of this study is to validate the Spanish version of what would complete a traumatic symptomatology battery assessment for people with ID and to analyze the type and frequency of the symptoms depending on the traumatic event.
Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: 120 people with ID (older18) and their main careers have been interviewed through a traumatic symptomatology battery. The inter-rater and test retest reliabilities are being analyzed and the symptomatology frequency associated to each of the different traumatic events will be measured.
Findings: The main research hypothesis considered are, those scales under validation process will adequately assess the symptomatology previously mentioned within Spanish population with ID. Additionally, we expect to find higher scores in PTSD when being victims of sexual abuse, intimidation or threats.
Conclusions & Significance: This traumatic symptomatology battery will be an important step towards the comprehensive care within the mental health of people with ID. Its dissemination to ID centers throughout Spain will be carried out, improving mental health care in people with ID.