Abstract
Forty people with mild mental retardation completed five tasks which assessed progressively their ability to identify emotions, link emotions to situations, and select either an emotion given a situation and evaluative belief, or an evaluative belief given a situation and emotion. Fewer people passed tasks including a belief than tasks assessing only an event–emotion link. Tasks involving a belief were more difficult if the belief and emotion were incongruent with the situation. We conclude that people with mild mental retardation may commonly have certain requisite skills to use cognitive therapy, yet many may require preparatory training to grasp the concept of cognitive mediation.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Beck, J. (1995) Cognitive therapy: Basics and beyond. New York: Routledge.
Borthwick-Duffy, S. A. (1994). Epidemiology and prevalence of psychopathology in people with mental retardation. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 62, 17-27.
Chadwick, P., Trower, P., & Dagnan, D. (in press). Measuring negative person evaluations: The Evaluative Beliefs Scale. Cognitive Therapy and Research.
Costello, C. G. (1992). Conceptual problems in current research on cognitive vulnerability to psychopathology. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 16, 379-390.
Dagnan, D., & Chadwick, P. (1997). Cognitive therapy with people with learning disabilities: Assessment and intervention. In B. Kroese, D. Dagnan, & K. Loumidis (Eds.), Cognitive therapy for people with learning disabilities. London: Routledge.
Dagnan, D., & Proudlove, J. (1997). Using Makaton drawings to assess the ability to recognise facial expression of emotion in people with learning disabilities. Clinical Psychology Forum, 105, 3-5.
Dunn, L., Dunn, L., Whetton, C., & Pintillie, D. (1982). The British Picture Vocabulary Scale. Windsor, UK: NFER-Nelson.
Dunn, L. M. (1965). Expanded manual for the Peabody Picture Vocabulary Test. Minneapolis, MN: American Guidance Service.
Ellis, A. (1977). The basic clinical theory of rational emotive therapy. In A. Ellis & R. Grieger (Eds.), Handbook of rational-emotive therapy. New York: Springer.
Leffert, J. S., & Siperstein, G. N. (1996). Assessment of social-cognitive processes in children with mental retardation. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 100, 441-455.
Lukasson, R., Coulter, D. L., Pollaway, E. A., Reiss, S., Schalock, R. L., Snell, M. E., Spitalnik, D. M., & Stark, J. A. (1992). Mental retardation: Definition, classification, and systems of supports. Washington, DC: American Association on Mental Retardation.
MaGee, B. (1987). The great philosophers. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Nezu, C. M., Nezu, A. M., Rothenburg, J. L., DelliCarpini, L., & Groag, I. (1995). Depression in adults with mild mental retardation: Are cognitive variables involved? Cognitive Therapy and Research, 19, 227-239.
Reed, J., & Clements, J. (1989). Assessing the understanding of emotional states in a population of adolescents and young adults with mental handicaps. Journal of Mental Deficiency Research, 33, 229-233.
Safran, J. D., Segal, Z. V., Vallis, T. M., Shaw, B. F., & Samstag, L. W. (1993). Assessing patient suitability for short-term cognitive therapy with an interpersonal focus. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 17, 23-38.
Safran, J. D., Vallis, T. M., Segal, Z. V., & Shaw, B. F. (1986). Assessment of core cognitive processes in cognitive therapy, Cognitive Therapy and Research, 10, 509-526.
Stenfert-Kroeze, B., Dagnan, D., & Loumids, K. (1997). Cognitive behaviour therapy for people with learning disabilities. London: Routledge.
Teasdale, J. D., & Barnard, P. J. (1993). Affect, cognition and change: Remodelling depressive thought. Hillsdale, NJ: Erlbaum.
Walker, M. (1985). Symbols for Makaton. Camberley, UK: Makaton Development Project.
Wessler, R. A., & Wessler, R. L. (1980). The principles and practice of rational emotive therapy. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
White, J., Yeats, A., & Skipworth, G. (1974). Tables for statisticians. London: Stanley Thornes.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.
Zajonc, R. B. (1980). Feeling and thinking: preferences need no inferences. American Psychologist, 34, 151-175.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dagnan, D., Chadwick, P. & Proudlove, J. Toward an Assessment of Suitability of People with Mental Retardation for Cognitive Therapy. Cognitive Therapy and Research 24, 627–636 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005531226519
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005531226519