Elien Neimeijer

67 2011; Stams & Van der Helm, 2017). Although short self-report questionnaires like the GCI are relatively easy to use in clinical practice, these instruments measure a simplified construct of group climate. Therefore, some studies advocate for a more in-depth insight and operationalization of group climate, for example through individual interviews with client about their group climate (Doyle, Quayle, & Newman, 2017). We aimed to develop a better understanding of the unique experiences, challenges and needs of individuals with MID-BIF in a secure forensic setting with regard to their group climate Although the relationship between group climate and therapeutic and organisational outcomes is well-researched and documented in secure forensic settings, less attention has been paid to group climate in secure forensic settings for individuals with mild intel- lectual disability or borderline intellectual functioning (MID-BIF; IQ 50-85; Robinson & Craig, 2019; Willets et al., 2014). That is remarkable given the fact that the prevalence of individuals with below average or low intelligence is high in such settings (Vincenzutto et al., 2018). Until now, no studies have provided an in-depth account of how individu- als with MID-BIF perceive their group climate in secure forensic settings (Bell, Tonkin, Chester, & Craig, 2017; Robinson & Craig, 2019). Giving voice to these service users may provide relevant insights in order to develop a therapeutic climate that meets the needs of individuals with MID-BIF to facilitate overall wellbeing and positive treatment out- comes. Therefore, in the present study we used Interpretative Phenomenological Anal- ysis (IPA) as a qualitative method to explore what individuals with MID-BIF experience with regard to their group climate. IPA is a suitable approach to explore how individuals perceive situations they are facing, and how they make sense of their personal and social world (i.e., their group climate). IPA studies typically have small sample sizes, allow for in-depth engagement with each individual case, and a detailed exploration of similarities and differences between participants (Smith, Flowers, & Larkin, 2009). By using IPA, we aimed to develop a better understanding of the unique experiences, challenges and needs of individuals with MID-BIF in a secure forensic setting with regard to their group climate. It is expected that both helpful and unhelpful aspects of group climate would be identified by the participants. Following the qualitative and explorative nature of the current study, no hypotheses were formulated (Korstjens & Moser, 2017).