Intellectual Disabilities and ‘Personality Disorder’: How Caring Relationships Can Support Individuals with Enduring Distress, 2nd Edition

Some individuals with intellectual disabilities experience pervasive patterns of feeling and thinking that affect the way in which the relate to others and understand themselves – sometimes so overwhelmingly so, that they find it difficult to navigate the daily challenges of life. These complex issues can leave staff feeling confused and believing that they do not possess the necessary skills. This fully updated handbook provides a framework for understanding and addressing the issues that can arise when supporting individuals with an intellectual disability, whose mental health needs and behaviours present a challenge to services. It aims to empower staff to use and develop their skills to give the right support at the right time so individuals can thrive to their potential. The Second Edition includes new content to reflect developments over the last decade around trauma-informed care, the neurodiversity movement and the term ‘personality disorder’. Section 1 focuses on diagnosis, psychologically-informed approaches, how to provide positive support and facilitate collaborative working relationships between teams and services; Section 2 provides practical, proven strategies for addressing specific issues such as suicidal behaviour and emotional distress, and for promoting wellbeing among staff and those they care for.