Implementation Science of Mindfulness in Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities.
Slot mindfulness into your existing PBS tiers to move it from a pilot idea to daily practice for clients with IDD.
01Research in Context
What this study did
Marsack-Topolewski (2020) wrote a how-to paper, not a lab study.
The author lined up mindfulness lessons with the three PBS tiers you already use.
Homes, schools, and job sites are all included so one plan can stretch across settings.
What they found
No new data were collected.
The paper gives a map: Tier 1 mindfulness for every client, Tier 2 for small groups who need more, Tier 3 for one-on-one care.
How this fits with other research
Bigham et al. (2013) looked at the same idea first. Their review said the evidence was weak and told us to wait for stronger trials. Marsack-Topolewski (2020) answers that call by showing how to run the lessons, not just whether they work.
Willems et al. (2017) found most lifestyle programs in ID lack a clear theory. Marsack-Topolewski (2020) fixes that by locking mindfulness into the PBS frame you already know.
Hewitt et al. (2013) warned that good IDD programs stay stuck in pilot stage. Marsack-Topolewski (2020) offers a scaling route so mindfulness does not stay stuck.
Why it matters
You can start tomorrow without new funding. Plug mindfulness into your current PBS tiers. Use the same data sheets you already have. Train staff once and roll it out everywhere the client goes.
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02At a glance
03Original abstract
Implementation science deals with the translation of evidence-based knowledge into practice in the real world. Mindfulness-based programs for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) emerged about 20 years ago. Efficacy and effectiveness studies provide the evidence-base for these programs and the field of IDD is moving towards large scale implementation of these programs. This article presents a model for implementing mindfulness-based programs in community settings, including family and group homes, schools, vocational settings, and congregate care facilities. The model is based on the 3-tier positive behavior support (PBS) system commonly used in school, family, and agency settings. Specific mindfulness-based programs can be linked to each of the three tiers to improve the quality of life of people with IDD.
American journal on intellectual and developmental disabilities, 2020 · doi:10.1352/1944-7558-125.5.345