Work

Prevalence and Course of Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms in Adolescents With a Mild to Borderline Intellectual Disability, Inside and Outside Residential Treatment

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: This study compared anxiety and depressive problems in adolescents with a mild to borderline intellectual disability in a residential treatment facility (MBID-RT) to those in the general community (MBID-GC). METHOD: Participants (N = 923, aged 11.9-19.3 years, M = 14.6 years, SD = 1.51, 42% girls) completed measures on anxiety and depressive problems. Part of this group (n = 155) participated twice, roughly 1 year apart. RESULTS: Adolescents in the MBID-RT subgroup reported statistically more anxiety and depressive problems (higher average scores, higher percentages above cut-off scores and higher percentage of comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms). Over a 1-year period, anxiety and depressive symptoms decreased in the MBID-GC subgroup but not in the MBID-RT subgroup. CONCLUSIONS: Findings call attention to the high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents with MBID in general, and those in residential treatment in particular, especially when externalising problems may be on the foreground.

Source: Journal of Intellectual Disability Research

DOI: 10.1111/jir.13242

Authors: Johanna J. Westera, Mariët J. van der Molen, Carlo Schuengel

Institutions: 's Heeren Loo, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

Language: English

Topic: Down syndrome and intellectual disability research

Subfield: Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health

Field: Medicine

Domain: Health Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,920