A functional approach to care staff behaviour
A functional approach to care staff behaviour
Through theoretical and observational analyses, the actions of care staff have frequently been identified as sources of socially-mediated reinforcement for the behaviour of people with learning disabilities. In some cases, staff may inadvertently develop and maintain challenging behaviours. As yet, however, there have been no attempts to conduct full functional analyses of the behaviour of care staff. The aim of this thesis was to begin such an analysis.
Firstly, a conceptual analysis of staff action was presented. According to a behaviour analytic framework, staff behaviour may either be shaped by contingencies or governed by rules. Secondly, two self-report studies were carried out to expand and clarify the conceptual analysis. In the first study, 19 care staff in two units for people with challenging behaviours were interviewed about their work. They reported that challenging behaviours were aversive, supporting the argument that staff behaviour may be shaped by aversive contingencies. In addition, staff reported a variety of rules that may govern their behaviour including self-rules about deviant behaviours, and rules from the service and staff cultures. In the second study, experienced staff (N= 148) and nursing students with no experience of challenging behaviours (N= 98) were asked to complete a questionnaire that sought their views on the causes of such behaviour, suitable interventions for it, and their own emotional reactions to it. Results supported the main findings of the interview study. In addition, because experienced and inexperienced participants' rules appeared to be very similar, a role for wider society as a source of staff rules was suggested.
Thirdly, the conceptual analysis was tested through the use of a computer-generated presentation of self-injurious behaviour. Rules given to the inexperienced participants in the study (N= 50), and the contingencies associated with the self-injury, were manipulated in an effort to simulate counter-habilitative actions in the experimental situation.
University of Southampton
Hastings, Richard Patrick
1993
Hastings, Richard Patrick
Hastings, Richard Patrick
(1993)
A functional approach to care staff behaviour.
University of Southampton, Doctoral Thesis.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
Through theoretical and observational analyses, the actions of care staff have frequently been identified as sources of socially-mediated reinforcement for the behaviour of people with learning disabilities. In some cases, staff may inadvertently develop and maintain challenging behaviours. As yet, however, there have been no attempts to conduct full functional analyses of the behaviour of care staff. The aim of this thesis was to begin such an analysis.
Firstly, a conceptual analysis of staff action was presented. According to a behaviour analytic framework, staff behaviour may either be shaped by contingencies or governed by rules. Secondly, two self-report studies were carried out to expand and clarify the conceptual analysis. In the first study, 19 care staff in two units for people with challenging behaviours were interviewed about their work. They reported that challenging behaviours were aversive, supporting the argument that staff behaviour may be shaped by aversive contingencies. In addition, staff reported a variety of rules that may govern their behaviour including self-rules about deviant behaviours, and rules from the service and staff cultures. In the second study, experienced staff (N= 148) and nursing students with no experience of challenging behaviours (N= 98) were asked to complete a questionnaire that sought their views on the causes of such behaviour, suitable interventions for it, and their own emotional reactions to it. Results supported the main findings of the interview study. In addition, because experienced and inexperienced participants' rules appeared to be very similar, a role for wider society as a source of staff rules was suggested.
Thirdly, the conceptual analysis was tested through the use of a computer-generated presentation of self-injurious behaviour. Rules given to the inexperienced participants in the study (N= 50), and the contingencies associated with the self-injury, were manipulated in an effort to simulate counter-habilitative actions in the experimental situation.
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Published date: 1993
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Local EPrints ID: 462544
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/462544
PURE UUID: 9ec96bd3-bfe7-469c-b7f6-ef31f1c3703e
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Date deposited: 04 Jul 2022 19:18
Last modified: 04 Jul 2022 19:18
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Author:
Richard Patrick Hastings
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