Adapting Compassion-Focused Therapy for people with intellectual disabilities and other cognitive impairments

Background Compassion-Focused Therapy (CFT) may provide a useful intervention for individuals with cognitive impairments. However, psychological interventions for such people require careful adaptations. Method Multiple databases were searched for studies on CFT for people with intellectual disabilities, autism spectrum disorder, brain injuries or dementia. The quality of the studies’ reporting of their interventions was evaluated. Frameworks were developed to review the adaptations employed and the CFT features included in the interventions. Results Seven studies on participants with intellectual disabilities, four on people with acquired brain injuries, and two on individuals with dementia were found. No studies explored CFT and autism spectrum disorder. The quality assessment indicated that studies could have benefited from increased detail in their accounts of their interventions, and highlighted a lack of methods for measuring and enhancing adherence to protocols. The reviews of therapy adaptations and CFT features showed that studies varied in the extent to which their interventions were adapted and the degree to which the main features of CFT were incorporated. Conclusions This review summarises the beginnings of an evidence base for CFT for people with cognitive impairments. It provides a centralised source of ideas for adapting CFT and points to avenues for future research