Treating traumatized children with intellectual disabilities: Tailoring Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for a vulnerable population

Background

Children with intellectual disabilities are at heightened risk for traumatization, though underserved due to silos of care, diagnostic overshadowing, and lack of adapted treatment. Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (TF-CBT), an evidence-based childhood trauma therapy, is described with recommended adaptations for use with children who have intellectual disabilities.

Method

We present a suggested theoretical and clinical guide for treating children with mild to moderate intellectual disabilities. We explicate key functional domains of intellectual disabilities—comprehension, executive functions, and generalization—as the basis for tailoring the treatment model.

Results

Therapy recommendations are organized into a heuristic ‘matrix’ of resources and adaptations to TF-CBT components, based on clinical experience and research literature, illustrated with composite case vignettes.

Conclusion

Children with intellectual disabilities are a uniquely vulnerable population historically excluded from clinical trauma interventions and research but can respond to adapted care. Considerations for future research and dissemination are discussed.