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FrancoAngeli Journals

ADHD - Nuove prospettive e linee di intervento

N. 56 (2025)

La psicoterapia nella disabilità intellettiva è possibile? Uno studio esplorativo sugli effetti di un percorso di terapia cognitivo-comportamentale neuropsicologico integrata per giovani adulti con Sindrome X Fragile

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3280/qpc56-2025oa21770
Inviata
23 dicembre 2025
Pubblicato
12-01-2026

Abstract

Le persone con disabilità intellettiva (DI) sono frequentemente escluse dai percorsi di psicoterapia, in particolare dagli approcci cognitivo-comportamentali (CBT), sulla base del pregiudizio che le loro difficoltà cognitive rendano difficile l’accesso ai processi di insight e di autoriflessione richiesti da tali modelli. Tuttavia, la crescente attenzione ai modelli di psicoterapia adattata (adapted CBT) e ai programmi evidence-based per disturbi del neurosviluppo e le condizioni genetiche rare suggeriscw che, con opportuni adattamenti metodologici, la CBT possa rappresentare un intervento efficace anche in questa popolazione.
Il presente studio esplorativo si propone di valutare la fattibilità e gli effetti preliminari di un percorso di terapia cognitivo-comportamentale-neuropsicologico integrata (nCBT), rivolto a giovani adulti con Sindrome X Fragile (FXS), nota come principale causa di DI legata a mutazione di un singolo gene.
Lo studio, condotto su dieci giovani adulti pugliesi con FXS, valuta la fattibilità di un anno di percorso nCBT chiamato “Corp-Osa-Mente” (CoM), ed è stato ideato dalla dott.ssa Federica Alice Maria Montanaro. Il modello CoM integra tecniche neuropsicologiche, cognitive, comportamentali e occupazionali, combinando incontri di gruppo in presenza e online, in collaborazione con educatori, per favorire la generalizzazione delle competenze alla vita quotidiana. I risultati evidenziano un miglioramento significativo nelle capacità comunicative, socio-pragmatiche, adattive e nel funzionamento emotivo, insieme a una riduzione dei sintomi ansiosi e depressivi dopo un anno di lavoro. Le analisi statistiche hanno altresì evidenziato un incremento nei punteggi delle scale ABAS-II (funzionamento adattivo), CCC-2 (abilità comunicative) e BRIEF-2 (controllo emotivo). È stata infine rilevata una crescita nella qualità della vita familiare.
Il lavoro suggerisce che la psicoterapia sia possibile anche nelle persone con DI, purché adattata alle loro capacità cognitive e supportata da un contesto educativo. Pur con limiti legati alla piccola dimensione del campione e all’assenza di un gruppo di controllo, CoM rappresenta un intervento innovativo e replicabile, attualmente in estensione in altre popolazioni con condizioni genetiche rare/semirare e DI. I risultati sostengono la validità clinica e la fattibilità della CBT di gruppo per l’FXS, promuovendo un approccio integrato e multidisciplinare alla salute mentale nelle disabilità intellettive.

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