EMDR treatment in people with mild ID and PTSD: 4 cases

Although there is evidence to suggest that people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are likely to be more susceptible to the development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than persons in the general population, until now only eight case reports on the treatment of people with ID suffering from PTSD symptoms have been published. In an effort to enrich the literature on this subject, the aim was to investigate the applicability of an evidence-based treatment for PTSD (i.e., EMDR) in four people with mild ID, suffering from PTSD following various kinds of trauma. In all cases PTSD symptoms decreased and the gains were maintained at 3 months to 2.5 year follow-up. In addition, depressive symptoms and physical complaints subsided, and social and adaptive skills improved. It is concluded that clients' improvements converge to suggest the applicability of EMDR in people with mild ID. Difficulties involved in arriving at an accurate PTSD diagnosis in ID clients are discussed.