Guided Self-help for People with Intellectual Disabilities and Anxiety and Depression – Mental Health Problems leaflet for service users

This resource assumes no previous knowledge of mental health issues or guided self-help and can be facilitated by health professionals, graduates and those supporting individuals with intellectual disabilities. 

To download your exclusive chapter click on the PDF logo at the bottom of this page

Individuals with intellectual disabilities and anxiety and/or depression can use the SAINT resource on their own or supported by healthcare professionals or paraprofessionals e.g. a graduate mental health worker or community mental health nurse; GPs and other primary care staff e.g. psychological well-being practitioners, staff from community or inpatient mental health services e.g. psychologists, community psychiatric nurses, occupational therapists, intellectual disability teams, community support workers, staff in residential placements or day centre workers.

The use of guided self-help for people with intellectual disabilities to treat depression and/or anxiety is in its infancy. The SAINT (Self-Assessment and INTervention) is the first resource to be made commonly available which has been developed specifically for people with intellectual disabilities. 

Using colour photographs and easy read text, the SAINT offers a structured and accessible way to deliver guided self-help with this population. By using a daily diary, clients can learn to recognise their emotions and develop ways to cope with them.

This facilitator manual explores the role of guided self help, its evidence base and its role in treating anxiety and depression. It details the development of the SAINT and the rationale for its use, and offers experiences from individuals who have used it in their own lives. The manual will help a facilitator to prepare for sessions with a client who is using the SAINT.

Purchase your copy of Guided Self-Help here