ArticlePsychology and psychotherapy2023
The phenomenology of mental imagery in people with intellectual disabilities.
Article in Psychology and psychotherapy, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed.
- Designing and Delivering a Dissemination Programme With Co-Researchers With Intellectual Disabilities.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2026Article
- Initial Testing of a Novel, Mental Imagery-Based Anxiety Intervention for People With Mild to Moderate Intellectual Disabilities Using a Single Case Experimental Design.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2026Article
- Reliability, Validity, and Responsiveness of the Visual Perceptual and Fine Motor Function Tests in School-Aged Children With Mild Intellectual Disabilities.Occupational therapy international · 2026Article
- Using Experience Based Co-Design to Develop a Novel Psychological Intervention With People With Intellectual Disabilities and Stakeholders.Journal of applied research in intellectual disabilities : JARID · 2025Article
- 'Flashforward' mental imagery in adolescents: exploring developmental differences and associations with mental health.Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy · 2024Article
- Phenomenological Studies of Visual Mental Imagery: A Review and Synthesis of Historical Datasets.Vision (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Review
- The phenomenology of mental imagery in people with intellectual disabilities.Psychology and psychotherapy · 2023Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectivesMental imagery is important in the development and maintenance of psychological disorders and well-being but has been neglected in people with intellectual disabilities. A detailed idiographic analysis of the lived experience of mental imagery in this population is presented.
designThis qualitative study uses interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). It involved inclusive research methods with people with intellectual disabilities and other stakeholders (including family members, advocates, support workers and intellectual disability service managers).
methodsTen individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with people with mild-moderate intellectual disabilities. Participants were opportunistically sampled through organisations providing community services to people with intellectual disabilities in the UK. Two men and eight women (mean age 43 years) participated. Interviews were audio-recorded and analysed using IPA.
resultsPeople with intellectual disabilities are able to experience a range of rich and detailed mental images across all sensory modalities. Participants reported changes in affect based on mental imagery, and an ability to experience both spontaneous and deliberate mental images. The emotional saliency of the object of mental imagery appeared to influence participants' ability to engage with imagery. A number of adaptations make mental imagery more accessible and easier to report. The ability of people with intellectual disabilities to experience vivid mental imagery has important clinical implications for the use of a range of mental imagery interventions with this population.
conclusionsThe need to consider mental imagery interventions for this population, and how these can be adapted to ensure accessibility is a priority for people with intellectual disabilities and psychological disorders.
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