Supporting the Mental Health of Children with Intellectual Disabilities through Embodied Experiences

This study is part of a broader body of research conducted under the CRESC project—a network of creation, education, health, and research. The project aims to establish a community of specialists (psychologists, psychopedagogues, medical professionals, and dancers) who collaborate to utilize embodiment as a means to develop novel mental health intervention strategies for hospitals, social centers, and special education schools.

This research employs a single-subject case study design—a primary methodology within educational–therapeutic interventions—focusing on three students with intellectual disabilities (presenting with comorbid ASD, genetic syndrome, and anxiety disorders) in a special education setting. A significant aspect of this study is that only the subject with intellectual disabilities and anxiety disorders possessed sufficient language development to allow for functional communication.

Three intensive specialized five-day interventions were conducted at intervals of 4–6 weeks (adjusted for school holidays). These interventions targeted diverse somatic experiences for the children, adhering to the four-stage Body Mind Centering intervention protocol: (1) giving space/observing, (2) accompanying the child, (3) giving direction and resistance, and (4) integration.

Several aspects of the therapeutic relationship were identified as distinct from conventional interventions and appear to be conducive to the intervention's success, including the specialist’s receptivity, somatic empathy, the capacity to observe and respect the child, the provision of space for expression, and the application of neuroaffective touch. As this is a qualitative study, source triangulation was employed, involving specialists, classroom teachers, and parents in the observation and behavioral analysis process. The assessment framework utilized a specific selection of indicators from the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). Significant results were achieved, particularly regarding increased levels of presence, improved sleep quality, and the reduction of crisis episodes; however, the individual functional profile of each subject serves to highlight their specific personal experiences and progress.