Empirically Validated Treatment: Evidence-Based Application of Psychodrama in Interactive-Behavioral Therapy
Keywords:
Intellectual disabilities, group therapy, mental retardation, psychodrama, psychiatric disabilities, dual diagnosisAbstract
Interactive-Behavioral Therapy has emerged over the past 25 years as the only empirically validated form of group therapy specifically designed to meet the needs of people with intellectual and chronic psychiatric disabilities. In 2005 it was the subject of the American Psychological Association’s first book on psychotherapy for those affected by these conditions and enjoys wide international usage for both psychotherapy and training uses. At the core of IBT are action methods adopted from psychodramatic practice. The following is a review of the research validating the IBT process in a variety of settings.
References
Blaine, C. (1993). Interpersonal learning in short-term integrated group psychotherapy. Un*
published master's thesis, University of Alberta, Canada.
Blatner, A., & Blatner, A. (1988). Foundations of psychodrama history: Theory and practice.
New York Springer.
Butz, M., Bowling, J., & Bliss, C. (2000). Psychotherapy with the mentally retarded: A
review of the literature and the implications. Professional Psychology: Research and Practice, 31,42-47. dokio.103710735-7028.31.1.42
Caine, A., & Hatton, C. (1998). Working with people with mental health problems. In E. Emerson, C. Hatton, J. Bromley, & A. Caine (Eds.), Clinical psychology and people with intellectual disabilities (pp. 210-230). Chichester, England: Wiley.
Carlin, M. (1998). Death, bereavement, and grieving: A group intervention for bereaved indi viduals with cerebral palsy. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Long Island University, C. W. Post campus.
Chariot, L. (1998). Developmental effects on mental health disorders in persons with de* velopmental disabilities. Mental Health Aspects of Developmental Disabilities, 1(2), 29-38. Chariot, L., Doucette, A., & Mezzacappa, E. (1993). Affective symptoms of institution alized adults with mental retardation. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 98,
408-416.
Cooper, S. A., Smiley, E., Morrison, J., Williamson, A., & Allan, J. (2007). Mental ill-
health in adults with intellectual disabilities: Prevalence and associated factors. BritishJournal of Psychiatry, 190,27-35.
Daniels, L. (1998). A group cognitive-behavioral and process-oriented approach to treat ing the social impairment and negative symptoms associated with chronic mental illness. Journal of Psychotherapy Research and Practice, 7,167-176.
Day, K. (2001). Treatment: An integrative approach. In A. Dosen & K. Day (Eds.), Treating mental illness and behavior disorders in children and adults with mental retardation (pp. 519-529)- Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing.
Emerson, E., Hatton, C., Bromley, J., & Caine, A. (Eds.). (1998). Clinical psychology and
people with intellectual disabilities. Chichester, England: Wiley.
Fletcher, R. J. (Ed.). (2000). Therapy approachesfor persons with mental retardation. Kings
ton, NY: NADD Press.
Fletcher, R., Loschen, E.» Stavrakaki, C., & First, M. (Eds.). (2007). Diagnostic manual
intellectual disability (DM-ID): A clinical guidefor diagnosis of mental disorders in persons with intellectual disability. Kingston, NY: NADD Press.
Herman, J. (1992a). Complex PTSD: A syndrome in survivors of prolonged and repeated
trauma. Journal of Traumatic Stress, 5(3), 377-391.
Herman, J. (1992b). Trauma and recovery. New York: Basic Books.
Herman, J. (1995). Crime and memory. Bulletin of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law, 23(1), 5-17. Hodges, S. (2003). Counselling adults with learning disabilities. Basingstoke, England:Palgrave.
Hurley, A. D. (1989). Individual psychotherapy with mentally retarded individuals: A
review and call for research. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 10(3), 261-275. Hurley, A. D., Pfadt, A., Tomasulo, D., & Gardner, W. (1996). Counseling and psy
chotherapy. In J. Jacobson & J. Mulick (Eds.), Manual of diagnosis and professional practice in mental retardation (pp. 371-378). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Hurley, A. D., Tomasulo, D., & Pfadt, A. (1998). Individual and group psychotherapy approaches for persons with mental retardation and developmental disabilities.
Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 10(4), 119-123.
Jacobson, J., & Mulick, J. (Eds.). (1996). Manual of diagnosis and professional practice in
mental retardation. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Kaminer, Y, Feinstein, C., & Barrett, R. P. (1987). Suicidal behavior in mentally retarded
adolescents: An overlooked problem. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 18, 90-94-
Keller, E. (1995). Process and outcomes in interactive-behavioral groups with adults who have both mental illness and mental retardation. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Long Island University, C. W. Post campus.
Kirchner, L., & Mueth, M. (2000). Suicide in individuals with developmental disabilities. In R. Fletcher (Ed.), Therapy approachesfor persons with mental retardation (pp. 127-150). Kingston, NY: NADD Press.
Kroese, B. S. (1997). Cognitive-behaviour therapy for people with learning disabilities. In B. S. Kroese, D. Dagnan, & K. Loumidis (Eds.), Cognitive-behaviour therapy for people with learning disabilities. London: Routledge.
Lundrigan, M. (2007). Interactive behavioral therapy with intellectually disabled persons with psychiatric disorders: A pragmatic case study. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ.
Marineau, R. F. (1989). Jacob Levy Moreno, 1889-1974. London: Routledge.
Monday Morning: A newsletter of the New Jersey Developmental Disabilities Council.
(2002). Surgeon general releases report on health disparities and mental retardation. Copy Editor, 8(6), 1.
Moss, S. (2001). Psychiatric disorders in adults with mental retardation. In L. M. Glidden (Ed.), International review of research in mental retardation. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Nezu, C. M., & Nezu, A. M. (1994). Outpatient psychotherapy for adults with mental retardation and concomitant psychopathology: Research and clinical imperatives.
Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 62(1), 34-42.
Nezu, C. M., Nezu, A. M., &. Gill-Weiss, M. J. (1992). Psychopathology in persons with
mental retardation: Clinical guidelines for assessment and treatment. Champaign, IL: Research Press. Nugent, J. (1997). Handbook on dual diagnosis: Supporting people with a developmental dis
ability and a mental health problem. Evergreen, CO: Mariah Management.
Oliver-Brannon, G. (2000). Counseling and psychotherapy in group treatment with the
dually diagnosed (mental retardation and mental illness—MR / MI) (Doctoral disser tation, The Union Institute, 2000). Dissertation Abstracts International, 6o(io-B), 5230.
Prout, H. T, & Strohmer, D. C. (1994). Issues in counseling and psychotherapy. In D. C. Strohmer & H. T. Prout (Eds.), Counseling and psychotherapy with persons with mental retardation and borderline intelligence. Brandon, VT: Clinical Psychology Publishing.
Prout, H. T., & Strohmer, D. C. (1995). Counseling with persons with mental retardation.
Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling 26(3), 49-54.
Razza, N. (2008, Fall). Meeting the needs of people with intellectual disabilities. New
Jersey Psychologist, pp. 36-38.
Razza, N., & Tomasulo, D. (1996a). The sexual abuse continuum: Therapeutic inter
ventions with individuals with mental retardation. Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter, 15, 84-86.
Razza, N., & Tomasulo, D. (1996b). The sexual abuse continuum: Part 2. Therapeutic interventions with individuals with mental retardation. Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter, 15, 84-86.
Razza, N., & Tomasulo, D. (1996c). The sexual abuse continuum: Part 3. Therapeutic interventions with individuals with mental retardation. Habilitative Mental Healthcare Newsletter, ij, 1x6-119.
Razza, N., & Tomasulo, D. (2005a). Group dynamics in the treatment of people with intellectual disabilities: Optimizing therapeutic gain. Mental Health Aspects of Devel opmental Disabilities, 8(1), 22-28.
Razza, N., & Tomasulo, D. (2005b). Healing trauma: The power of group treatmentfor people
with intellectual disabilities. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. Reiss, S., Levitan, G., & McNally, R. (1982). Emotionally disturbed mentally retarded
people: An underserved population. American Psychologist, 3], 361-367.
Reiss, S., Levitan, G., & Szyszko, J. (1982). Emotional disturbance and mental retarda
tion: Diagnostic overshadowing. AmericanJournal of Mental Deficiency, 86, 567-574. Seligman, M. (1995. December). The effectiveness of psychotherapy: The Consumer
Reports study. American Psychologist, 50(12), 965-974.
Tomasulo, D. (1992). Group counselingfor people with mild to moderate mental retardation
and developmental disabilities: An interactive-behavioral model [Video]. New York: Young Adult Institute.
Tomasulo, D. (1994)- Action techniques in group counseling: The double. Habilitative
Mental Healthcare Newsletter, 13,41-45.
Tomasulo, D. (1998). Action methods in group psychotherapy: Practical aspects. Philadelphia:
Taylor and Francis.
Tomasulo, D. (1999a). Getting to hope: Role-playing in the treatment of denial, resistance
and shame. Mental Health Aspects of Developmental Disabilities, 2(4), 1-9.
Tomasulo, D. (1999b). Group therapy for people with mental retardation: The interactive behavioral therapy model. In D. Wiener (Ed.), Beyond talk therapy: Using movement and expressive techniques in clinical practice. Washington, DC: American Psychologi cal Association.
Tomasulo, D. (2000). Group psychotherapy for people with mental retardation. In R. Fletcher (Ed.), Therapy approaches for persons with mental retardation (pp. 65-85). Kingston, NY: NADD Press.
Tomasulo, D. (2006). Group psychotherapy for people with intellectual disabilities: The interactive-behavioral model. Journal of Group Psychotherapy, Psychodrama, and Sociometry, 59(2), 85-93.
Tomasulo, D., Keller, E., & Pfadt, A. (1995). The healing crowd. Habilitative Mental
Healthcare Newsletter, 14, 43-50.
Tomasulo, D. J., & Razza, N.J. (2007). Posttraumatic stress disorder. In R. Fletcher, E.
Loschen, C. Stavrakaki, & M. First (Eds.), Diagnostic manual—Intellectual disability (DM-ID):A textbook of diagnosis of mental disorders in persons with intellectual disability (pp. 365-378). Kingston, NY: NADD Press.
van der Kolk, B. A. (1996). The complexity of adaptation to trauma: Self-regulation, stimulus discrimination, and characterological development. In B. A. van der Kolk, A. C. McFarlane, & L. Weisaeth (Eds.), Traumatic stress: The effects of overwhelming experience on mind, body, and society (pp. 182-213). New York: Guilford.
Wiener, D. J. (1999). Beyond talk therapy: Using movement and expressive techniques in clinical
practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
Yalom, I. (1995). Group psychotherapy (4th ed.). New York: Basic Books.
Yalom, I., & Leszcz, M. (2005). The theory and practice of group psychotherapy (5th ed.).
New York: Basic Books.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Journal of Psychodrama, Sociometry, and Group Psychotherapy

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.