Effect of dressing self-help skill training on anxiety and aggression among boys with intellectual disability

Intellectual disability affects all aspects of individual’s life. Training programs for self-help skills can be effective on reducing anxiety and aggression of people with intellectual disability. The present study aimed to examine the effectiveness of dressing self-help skills on reducing anxiety and aggression in boys with intellectual disability in Nasibeh Nursing Home, Malayer, Iran. This study was a quasi-experimental study with pre- and post-tests. Thirty-two intellectually disabled boys were selected by convenience sampling at Nasibeh Nursing Home in Malayer, Iran in 2016. They were randomly assigned to control and experimental groups. The experimental group received dressing self-help skills training program for thirteen 45-minute sessions twice a week. The research tools were Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale and Children’s Inventory of Anger (ChIA). Data were analyzed by covariance. Findings revealed a significant difference in aggression between intellectually disabled boys in pre- and post-test (P=0.01). In addition, there was a significant difference between mean scores of anxiety in intellectually disabled boys in pre- and post-test (P=0.01). Self-help skills improve behavioral problems such as aggression and anxiety among intellectually disabled boys. Therefore, it is suggested that these therapeutic interventions be implemented for training and decreasing behavioral problems in intellectually disabled people.