Care staff attributions about challenging behaviors in adults with intellectual disabilities.
A number of researchers have explored the attributions that care staff make about challenging behavior. The expectation, based on behavioral and cognitive models, is that these attributions may help predict why staff inadvertently reinforce challenging behavior. Two studies of staff attributions about challenging behavior are reported. In the first, a high level of consistency in attributions across staff was found. In a second quasi-experimental study, staff made attributions about two known clients' behavior. Analysis of these data showed that attributions varied in a manner broadly consistent with the hypothesized functions of the behaviors. The weight of the evidence suggests that staff may be sensitive to the causes of challenging behavior. The practical implications of these data are discussed.
School of Psychology, University of Wales Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales LL57 2DG, UK. s.j.noone@bangor.ac.uk
Stephen J
SJ
Noone
Robert S P
RS
Jones
Richard P
RP
Hastings
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008607:Intellectual Disability / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D005791:Patient Care; D011595:Psychomotor Agitation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*