Abstract
Background
Shame is a trans-diagnostic phenomenon which underlies a variety of mental health difficulties. People with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) are reported to be one of the most stigmatised and excluded groups in society, and are more likely to experience mental health problems than the general population. Consequently, this group may be at significant risk of shame-related distress. However, a lack of research has been conducted which investigates the experience of shame in people with ID, and there is currently a lack of interventions targeting shame in people with ID.
Method
Two case studies were undertaken to document the experiences of stigma, discrimination and shame in people with ID, and to explore how shame may present in this population.
Results
Shame was found to be a significant barrier to social inclusion and can contribute towards poor psychological health in people with ID.
Conclusions
The development of interventions which specifically target shame in this population are required.