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The Mental Impairment and Evaluation Treatment Service: staff attitudes and staff–client interactions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Linda T. Walz  and
Laura H. Goldstein
Linda T. Walz
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, London
Laura H. Goldstein*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, London
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr Laura H. Goldstein, Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, De Crespigny Park, London SE5 8AF.
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Synopsis

This study describes and evaluates a new short-term residential service for adults with mild learning difficulties and challenging behaviour, the Mental Impairment Evaluation and Treatment Service. The study examines staff attitudes towards management practices, towards the potential achievement of individuals with learning difficulties, the staff's perceived involvement in decision making, and also the nature of their interaction with the clients, in two different settings on the Unit. The Unit's management practices were found to be client-orientated in nature and staff were more in agreement with client-orientated than institution-orientated management practices. Staff were generally optimistic about clients' potential and felt involved in decision making. Correlations between certain staff characteristics, attitudes and interactions are discussed. The study extends the range of services that have been evaluated in this way, and provides a description of the service in its early stages, which will provide an important comparison point for it when it is more permanently established.

Type
Original Articles
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 22 , Issue 2 , May 1992 , pp. 503 - 511
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

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