Developing a Mental Health Promotion Booklet for Young People with Intellectual DIsabilities

Aim: To develop a mental health promotion booklet for young people with ID developed by young people with ID. Method: A qualitative methodology using four focus groups with young people with ID was employed, repeated five-times over a six-month period. The young people identified the six key themes to be addressed in the booklet with accompanying colourful and energetic pictures. Results: Six key areas were identified, wording agreed upon and pictures selected for the booklet. The areas were: (i) title (How are you today?) (ii) what is mental health? (iii) what can make us feel low? (iv) what are the signs if you feel unhappy? (v) if you are feeling down or unhappy why not try some of these things?, and (vi) what can you do to get help? Conclusion: Young people with ID were able to contribute effectively to the development of their own mental health promotion booklet. This booklet is a valued resource for practitioners in the field of ID and is intended to be shared widely across the UK and beyond. It is anticipated that similar booklets can be developed.