Treatment of a man with a mild learning disability who was sexually assaulted whilst in prison.

Psychotherapy

May 2021

Full Citation

Davison, F. M., Clare, I. C., Georgiades, S., Divall, J., & Holland, A. J. (1994). Treatment of a man with a mild learning disability who was sexually assaulted whilst in prison. Medicine, science, and the law, 34(4), 346-353. Retrieved from http://ovidsp.ovid.com/ovidweb.cgi?T=JS&PAGE=reference&D=med3&NEWS=N&AN… 830523

Abstract

The aim of this study is to describe the psychological effects on a man with a mild learning disability who was sexually assaulted whilst in prison, and the treatment which was carried out. J. suffered Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), as defined in DSM-III-R, combined with associated features of depression and anxiety. Treatment involved imaginal exposure to the assault, followed by systematic de-sensitization to the traumatic experience of imprisonment preceding the assault. Activities were also carried out to develop J.'s self-esteem, coping strategies and anxiety management. The successful outcome of treatment is discussed in relation to models of emotional processing. Some discrepancies between scores on self-evaluation questionnaires and behavioural observations raise issues concerning the best way of assessing treatment outcome for people with learning disabilities.