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Background Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to be effective in the treatment of a range of health and psychological disorders in adults and young people without intellectual disabilities ( ID). Clinical studies are emerging reporting on the efficacy of mindfulness-based interventions as a stand-alone treatment for common clinical disorders in adults with ID. Method This paper aims to evaluate the efficacy of an innovative structured mindfulness-based cognitive therapy ( MBCT) group programme adapted for adults with ID with a diagnosis of either recurrent depression, anxiety or both clinical conditions and a history of deliberate self-harm behaviour. Two groups ran consecutively consisting of a total of fifteen participants and seven carers. All participants were recorded as having either a borderline, mild, or moderate ID. The group programme ran over a period of 9 weeks with a follow-up session at 6 weeks post group intervention. Outcome measures included the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and two sub-scales from the Self- Compassion Scale administered at baseline, post therapy and at 6-week follow-up. Results The evaluation showed that participants reported an improvement in their experience of depression, anxiety, self-compassion and compassion for others. The most significant impact was in the reduced levels of anxiety reported. Improvements across all outcomes were maintained at 6-week follow-up. Conclusion The results of the evaluation suggest that people with intellectual disabilities benefit from a structured MBCT group intervention and the results are maintained at 6-week follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cognitive behavioral therapy-based alcohol treatment programs have been widely used to break the link between alcohol and crime. While evidence exists on the connection between alcohol and crime, there is little data that demonstrate the effectiveness of different alcohol treatment programs in reducing criminal behavior. We tested whether male offenders who participate in alcohol treatment programs show lower rates of recidivism than a matched offender group who did not participate in an alcohol prevention program. Methods This is an observational matched case-control study. Participants were 564 male offenders with an alcohol problem related to offending. Participants were assigned by the courts to 1 of 3 alcohol treatment programs (141 offenders per treatment): Low Intensity Alcohol Program ( LIAP), Alcohol Specified Activity Requirement, and Addressing Substance- Related Offending. A fourth matched group ( n = 141) was not assigned to a program and served as a control group. Survival analysis was used to calculate participants' charged and reconviction rates over 4 time periods (0 to 3, 4 to 6, 7 to 9, and 10 to 12 months after completion of program or order). Results Offenders who did not participate in a program were more than twice as likely to be charged compared to offenders who participated in a program. Furthermore, offenders who did not participate in a program were over 2.5 times more likely to be reconvicted. Among the 3 alcohol treatment programs evaluated, the LIAP was the most cost-effective. Conclusions Offenders enrolled in an alcohol treatment program showed a significant reduction in being charged with or reconvicted of a crime. With costs of keeping offenders in prison per year reaching close to £40,000 per offender per year (Mulheirn et al., 2010, ), assigning offenders to alcohol preventive programs-such as LIAP-are a promising way to reduce recidivism and reduce cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background A substantial minority of adolescents suffer from depression and it is associated with increased risk of suicide, social and educational impairment, and mental health problems in adulthood. A recently conducted randomized controlled trial in England evaluated the effectiveness of a manualized universally delivered age-appropriate CBT programme in school classrooms. The cost-effectiveness of the programme for preventing low mood and depression for all participants from a health and social care sector perspective needs to be determined. Methods A trial-based cost-effectiveness analysis based on a cluster-randomized controlled trial (trial registration - ISRCTN 19083628) comparing classroom-based CBT with usual school provision of Personal Social and Health Education. Per-student cost of intervention was estimated from programme records. The study was undertaken in eight mixed-sex UK secondary schools, and included 3,357 school children aged 12 to 16 years (in the two trial arms evaluated in the cost-effectiveness analysis). The main outcome measures were individual self-reported data on care costs, Quality-Adjusted Life-Years ( QALYs, based on the EQ-5D health-related quality-of-life instrument) and symptoms of depression (Short Mood and Feelings Questionnaire) at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Results Although there was lower quality-adjusted life-years over 12 months (−.05 QALYs per person, 95% confidence interval −.09 to −.005, p = .03) with CBT, this is a 'clinically' negligible difference, which was not found in the complete case analyses. There was little evidence of any between-arm differences in SMFQ scores (0.19, 95% CI −0.57 to 0.95, p = .62), or costs (£142, 95% CI −£132 to £415, p = .31) per person for CBT versus usual school provision. Conclusions Our analysis suggests that the universal provision of classroom-based CBT is unlikely to be either more effective or less costly than usual school provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]