Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2plfb Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-30T23:10:31.689Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Knowledge and understanding of choice diversity of residential care staff working with individuals with intellectual disabilities

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 October 2015

Annemaree Carroll*
Affiliation:
School of Education, University of Queensland
Deb Keen
Affiliation:
School of Education, University of Queensland
Clinton Davies
Affiliation:
School of Education, University of Queensland
Terry Skehan
Affiliation:
School of Education, University of Queensland
Eva Fritz
Affiliation:
School of Education, University of Queensland
*
School of Education, The University of Queensland, BRISBANE, Q4072, Phone: 07 3365 6476, Fax: 07 3365 8553, Email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The present study aimed to trial the effectiveness of 10 newly developed brief vignettes portraying typical interactions between staff and people with intellectual disabilities in residential care settings to assess the knowledge and understanding of staff about choice diversity, pre- and post-attendance at a staff training workshop. A total of 29 residential staff completed the Vignette Rating Scale and a knowledge questionnaire pre- and post-training. A t- test conducted on the vignettes revealed that respondents identified fewer choices in the post-test vignettes compared to the pre-test vignettes. Results showed no significant difference between the pre- and post-test data on the knowledge questionnaire. The questionnaire revealed a high level of knowledge about choice prior to and following training. The vignettes, however, proved effective in measuring changes in awareness of choice diversity among residential staff following participation in a staff training workshop.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Australian Psychological Society 2005

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Algozzine, B., Browder, D., Karvonen, M., Test, D.W., & Wood, W.M. (2001). Effects of interventions to promote self-determination for individuals with disabilities. Review of Educational Research, 71, 219277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Baillie, M., & Penny, R. (1987). Group processes in consensus decision making. Brisbane: Education Queensland.Google Scholar
Bambara, L.M., Ager, C., & Koger, F. (1994). The effects of choice and task preference on the work performance of adults with severe disabilities. Journal of Applied Behaviour Analysis, 27, 555556.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bambara, L.M., Koger, F., Katzer, T., & Davenport, T.A. (1995). Embedding choice in the context of daily routines: An experimental case study. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 20, 185195.Google Scholar
Bannerman, D.J., Sheldon, J.B., Sherman, J.A., & Harchik, A.E. (1990). Embedding choice in the context of daily routines: An experimental case study. Journal of the Association for Persons with Severe Handicaps, 20, 185195.Google Scholar
Brown, F., Belz, P., Corsi, L., & Wenig, B. (1993). Choice diversity for people with intellectual disabilities. Education and training in Mental Retardation, 28, 318326.Google Scholar
Cattermole, M., Jahoda, A., & Markova, I. (1990). Quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities moving to community homes. Disability, Handicap and Society, 5, 137152.Google Scholar
Duvdevany, I., Ben-Zur, H., & Amber, A. (2002). Self-determination and mental retardation: Is there an association with living arrangement and life satisfaction? Mental Retardation, 40, 379389.Google Scholar
Edwards, J., Butler, J., Hill, B., & Russell, S. (1997). People Rules for Rocket Scientists . Samford, Queensland: Samford Research Associates Pty Ltd.Google Scholar
Emerson, E. (1985). Evaluating the impact of deinstitutionalization on the lives of mentally retarded people. American Journal of Mental Deficiency, 90, 277288.Google Scholar
Jahr, E. (1998). Current issues in staff training. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 19, 7387.Google Scholar
Jenkinson, J., Copeland, C., Drivas, V., & Scoon, H. (1992). Decision-making by community residents with an intellectual disability. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Developmental Disabilities, 18, 18.Google Scholar
Joyce, B., & Showers, B., (1980). Improving inservice training: the messages of research. Educational Leadership, 37(5), 379385.Google Scholar
Kim, S., Larson, S.A., & Lakin, K.C. (2001). Behavioral outcomes of deinstitutionalisation for people with intellectual disability: A review of US studies conducted between 1980 and 1999. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 26, 3550.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kishi, G., Teelucksingh, B., Zollers, S,P., & Meyer, L. (1998). Daily decision making in the community residences: A social comparison of adults with and without mental retardation. American Journal of Mental Retardation, 92, 430435.Google Scholar
Lord, J., & Pedlar, A. (1990). Life in the community: Four years after the closure of an institution. Kitchener, Ontario: Centre for Research & Education in Human Services.Google Scholar
McKnight, T.J., & Kearney, C.A. (2001). Staff training regarding choice availability for persons with mental retardation: A preliminary analysis. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 13, 110.Google Scholar
O’Brien, P., Thesing, A., Tuck, B., & Capie, A. (2001). Perceptions of change, advantage and quality of life for people with intellectual disability who left a long stay institution to live in the community. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 26, 6782.Google Scholar
Rawlings, M., Dowse, L. & Shaddock, A. (1995). Increasing the involvement of people with an intellectual disability in choice making situations: A practical approach. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 42, 137153.Google Scholar
Realon, R.E., Bligen, R.A., Force, A.L., Helsel, W.J., & Goldman, V. (2002). The effects of the positive environment program (PEP) on the behaviors of adults with profound cognitive and physical disabilities. Behavioral Interventions, 17, 113.Google Scholar
Robertson, J., Emerson, E., Hatton, C., Gregory, N., Kessissoglou, S., Hallum, A., & Walsh, P.N. (2001). Environmental opportunities and supports for exercising self-determination in community based residential settings. Research in Developmental Disabilities, 22, 487502.Google Scholar
Salmento, M., & Bambara, L.B. (2000). Teaching staff members to provide choice opportunities for adults with multiple disabilities. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 2, 1221.Google Scholar
Shaddock, A.J., Rawlings, M.L & Laughren, C. (1994). Promoting choice: A selected annotated bibliography on strategies for providing choices for people with disabilities (Advancing Choice Project). Canberra: Commonwealth Department of Human Services and Health.Google Scholar
Stancliffe, R.J. (1995). Assessing opportunities for choice making: a comparison of self- and staff reports. American Journal on Mental Retardation, 99(4), 418429.Google ScholarPubMed
Stancliffe, R. & Abery, B.H. (1997). Longitudinal study of deinstitutionalisation and the exercise of choice. Mental Retardation, 35, 159169.Google Scholar
Stalker, K., & Harris, P. (1998). The exercise of choice by adults with intellectual disailities: A literature review. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 11, 6076.Google Scholar
Wolfensberger, W. (1972). The principle of normalisation in human services. Toronto: The National Institute on Mental Retardation.Google Scholar
Young, L. (2003). Residential and lifestyle changes for adults with an intellectual disability in Queensland 1960–2001. International Journal of Disability, Development and Education, 50, 93106.Google Scholar
Young, L., Ashman, A., Sigafoos, J., & Grevell, P. (2001). Closure of the Challinor Centre II: An extended report on 95 individuals after 12 months of community living. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 26, 5166.Google Scholar
Young, L., Sigafoos, J., Suttie, J., Ashman, A., & Grevell, P. (1998). Deinstitutionalization of persons with intellectual disabilities: a review of Australian studies. Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 23, 155170.Google Scholar