ERIC Number: EJ835563
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2007-Jan
Pages: 14
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1360-2322
EISSN: N/A
A Communication Training Programme for Residential Staff Working with Adults with Challenging Behaviour: Pilot Data on Intervention Effects
Smidt, Andy; Balandin, Susan; Reed, Vicki; Sigafoos, Jeff
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, v20 n1 p16-29 Jan 2007
Background: Challenging behaviour often serves a communicative function. It therefore stands to reason that the residential staff working in developmental disability services require training to foster appropriate communicative interactions with adults with challenging behaviour. Method: Eighteen members of staff working in three residential services participated in a 4 week communication training programme. The programme focused on staff attitudes to and beliefs about challenging behaviour, communicative interactions between staff and residents and working as a team. Objective measurements were made of the effects of the training programme on staff use of augmentative and alternative communication, praise and use of inappropriate language in a multiple-baseline design across three organizations. Changes in the rate of challenging behaviours among the residents were also evaluated. Results: As staff's use of AAC and praise increased, and inappropriate language decreased, there was some concomitant decrease in residents' levels of challenging behaviour; however, these results were not sustained in the long-term. Conclusion: This pilot data suggest that an approach to staff training based on modifying attitudes and beliefs is potentially beneficial to both staff and residents.
Descriptors: Augmentative and Alternative Communication, Developmental Disabilities, Positive Reinforcement, Training, Staff Development, Behavior Modification, Residential Care, Employee Attitudes, Interpersonal Communication, Communication Strategies
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Evaluative
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A