Mindfulness is very quickly coming to be the “intervention du jour” in diverse clinical populations. This presentation will briefly cover the application of mindfulness-based interventions with people who have developmental disabilities (DD), and their caregivers. While mindfulness-based interventions in these populations are still somewhat of a novelty as far as research is concerned, their uses are well-ensconced in the community. Mindfulnessbased interventions have been used to treat a number of issues in people with DD, such as aggression, lifestyle/obesity, smoking, and sexually deviant behavior. Parents and other caregivers have been taught mindfulness skills, and the effects of this training have been assessed on the learning and behavior of children, adolescents, and adults with DD. Extant research suggests that mindfulness-based approaches may be useful in these populations.
- Penn State March2012 1
