A survey on mental health care for adults with intellectual disabilities in Asia.
Adults with ID across Asia still face bare-bones mental-health care—plan behavior programs that work without psychiatrists.
01Research in Context
What this study did
The authors sent short questionnaires to doctors and service managers in nine Asian places. They asked what mental-health care exists for adults with intellectual disability.
Places ranged from wealthy city-states to low-income countries. The team wanted a quick map of who can see a psychiatrist, get medicine, or attend day programs.
What they found
Two countries reported zero adult ID psychiatrists. Most places offered only basic medical care. Rich economies still had long wait lists.
Services lagged behind each country’s own economic growth. Mental-health care was the weakest part of disability support.
How this fits with other research
Wu et al. (2010) zoomed in on China two years later. They found the same gaps the 2008 survey spotted, plus a new rural surge. The match shows the regional picture still holds at country level.
Murthy et al. (2025) asked Indian caregivers what they need today. Caregivers asked for peer groups, not more doctors. This extends the 2008 finding: lack of services now includes lack of family-led supports.
McCausland et al. (2010) used the same survey style in Ireland. Irish older adults also lacked education and money-skills help. The pattern crosses continents—mental health is only one missing piece.
Why it matters
If you write behavior plans for adults with ID in Asia, expect thin backup. No adult psychiatrist means no medication reviews when behaviors spike. Build your plan around what exists—primary-care doctors, families, and peer groups. Add caregiver training and crisis lines you can monitor by phone. Track data so you can show local funders what else is needed.
Want CEUs on This Topic?
The ABA Clubhouse has 60+ free CEUs — live every Wednesday. Ethics, supervision & clinical topics.
Join Free →Add a caregiver-peer meeting to your next behavior plan—Sumithra et al. (2025) shows families want it and it costs nothing.
02At a glance
03Original abstract
BACKGROUND: Mental Health Services for adults with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) in Asia is less described than those in the western world. With the improvements in the economy and medical care in Asia, there is an increase in awareness of mental health services for people with ID in this part of the world. A study was carried out to look into these aspects in Asian countries. METHOD: A cross sectional survey using structured questionnaire was sent to 14 Asian countries/territories in 2005/2006 and returns were analysed in light of their demographics and health statistics. RESULTS: The type and range of mental health services vary widely for people with ID in all the nine countries/territories that returned their questionnaires. Two of the respondent countries reported a lack of psychiatric services for their adult ID population. CONCLUSIONS: In general, mental health services for people with ID in Asia do not keep pace with economic developments. More government commitment and international collaborations are necessary to improve the mental well-being of this population in Asia.
Journal of intellectual disability research : JIDR, 2008 · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2788.2008.01054.x