A study examined the response of two adults who attended a music activity therapy program in which music activities encouraged peer interaction. Music activity therapy was compared with a control condition (i.e., ball and target games). Both conditions increased the level of positive interaction, however, music therapy was least effective.…

A study analyzed attribution statements of six community workers who provide risk management for men with mental retardation who sexually offend. Results highlight the effort participants made to obtain sufficient information. They focused on external factors for most effective risk management, but other staff undermined their confidence.…

It is argued that challenging behavior can be better understood if a correlational analysis (looking for correlations between behavior occurrence and other variables) is used in addition to functional analysis. A case example is provided of a man whose aggressive outbursts were negatively correlated with trips out of his unit. (Contains…

A study examined relocation effects on challenging and communicative behaviors of four individuals with severe learning disabilities who moved from a hospital for people with learning disabilities into a community project home. There was an overall decrease in adaptive behaviors and inactivity levels and increases in communicative and challenging…

A survey of 23 establishments found 16 were still very active in using the Makaton peer tutoring method and reported that the method had not only contributed to an increase in communication and the effectiveness of interactions, but had also resulted in increased self-esteem, confidence, and assertiveness. (Contains references.) (CR)

Three case studies investigated the effect of the characteristics of autism upon researchers' abilities to elicit children's (ages 7-14) opinions about short-term residential care. Autism affected all three children's abilities to participate in the consultation process, they were calmer with known adults, and visually mediated methods…

A study examined whether Talking Mats, a light-technology augmentative framework, could be used successfully with 12 young adults with a learning and communication disability. Participants were able to indicate likes and dislikes and express views about the choices available to them. Some expressed opinions not previously known to their carers.…

This article describes two workshops that explained the use of prenatal testing and genetic information to inform choices in pregnancy to people with learning difficulties, explored the issues with them, and describe the contribution subsequently made by these people to a British national conference on this subject. (Contains references.)…

A survey of the managers of 34 residential homes in the United Kingdom found that art activities were the most commonly available form of creative leisure occupation, and drama the least available. Managers perceived the major barrier to creative leisure participation to be the expense. (Contains references.) (Author/CR)

A case study describes the developmental course of a young man with mild learning disabilities and the core features of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. It illustrates how an inclusive account of challenging behavior can be developed using concepts from mainstream psychological activity. The implications of developing alternative accounts…

A study investigated care staff (n=12) perceptions of the language comprehension levels of adults with learning disabilities. Differences between estimates and actual scores increased with sentence difficulty. At the highest level of difficulty, staff consistently over estimated the clients' ability, while both under and over estimation occurred…

Community learning disability nursing has been faced with considerable changes over recent years. In the early part of the 1990s, some commentators believed that it was a specialism in decline. The aim of the present study was to describe the way in which community nurses, learning disabilities (CNLDs), work within National Health Service (NHS)…

People with learning disabilities who also exhibit challenging behaviour live in a social context that should be considered in order to understand and deal with their behaviours. This context includes the characteristics of staff members, and their satisfaction with the whole culture and environment in which they work. The social context will also…

Advocacy is often seen as an ideal role for nurses to undertake, especially when working with people who have a learning disability. However, advocacy is not without its risks and dilemmas for learning disability nurses. The present paper attempts to examine why people with learning disabilities may be viewed as vulnerable and why advocacy may be…

The present paper gives an overview of some of the modular day courses offered and, in some cases, developed by tutors at a former hospital school providing education to adults with severe learning disabilities. The aims of the courses were cognitive and personal development, as well as aesthetic and spiritual enrichment. Art history was offered…