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Saqui, Sonja

University of British Columbia

Despite anxiety being more prevalent in youth with intellectual developmental disorder (IDD) compared to their peers without disabilities, studies on school-based anxiety interventions often overlook children with IDD. This dissertation comprises two studies to address this gap. In Study 1, parents’ (n = 5) and professionals’ (n = 5) perspectives were gathered through focus groups to enhance an anxiety coping skills lesson series called Feel,Think,Do (FTD) informed by cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) for students with IDD. Qualitative data were analysed using content analysis, and these insights led to enhancements to the FTD lesson series, which was then evaluated in Study 2. In Study 2, a multiple probe across skills design was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the lesson series on the anxiety coping skills of three students with IDD (ages: 10–12). Pre- and post-measures of anxiety were completed by teachers, parents, and students, and the students completed a pre-and post-intervention coping skills measure. Observer-rated engagement data were collected. Formative (weekly) and summative measures were used to gauge lesson acceptability. Students’ data suggested gains in identifying the somatic signs of anxiety, and one student’s data suggested gains in identifying helpful thoughts in response to a stressful or worry triggering scenario. Students did not demonstrate gains in identifying a first problem-solving step but did identify more active coping strategies. Results of students’ self-, parent- and teacher-rated anxiety symptoms were mixed. Two students rated an increase in coping skills level, and another student rated no change. Observer-rated engagement with the lessons was low overall. Students and teachers rated the intervention favourably and offered recommendations. The findings will contribute to the growing research on school-based mental health services for youth with IDD and provide guidance for promoting anxiety coping skills within inclusive classroom settings for this often-overlooked population.

Text

2024-08-29

Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International

http://hdl.handle.net/2429/89085

School and Applied Child Psychology

University of British Columbia

UBCV

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/