The utility of behavioral activation therapy in addressing emotional problems of two depressed students with borderline intellectual disability: A case study

Abstract

Abstract Purpose Intellectual disability is one of the neurodevelopmental disorders. Studies indicated that depression and anxiety are the most prevalent emotional problems among the people with intellectual disability. The aim of this study was to investigate the utility of behavioral activation therapy in addressing emotional problems of two depressed students with borderline intellectual disability. Method This study is a single‐subject design with multiple baseline and one month follow‐up. Two students with borderline intelligence underwent behavioral activation therapy for 12 sessions. Beck Depression Inventory‐Second Edition, Beck Anxiety Inventory, Oxford Happiness Inventory and Rosenberg Self‐Esteem Scale were used. Data were analyzed using visual inspection of graphed data, changes in trends, improvement percentage and effect size. Findings The findings of this study support the utility of behavioral activation therapy in addressing the emotional problems of two depressed students with borderline intellectual disability. Conclusion Behavioral activation therapy has had favorable outcomes in reducing depression and anxiety in depressed students with borderline intellectual disabilities.

Keywords

• behavioral activation therapy
• borderline intellectual disability
• depressed students
• emotional problems