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Staff reactions to self-injurious behaviours in learning disability services: attributions, emotional responses and helping
- Authors:
- JONES Cheryl, HASTINGS Richard P.
- Journal article citation:
- British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 42(2), June 2003, pp.189-203.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This study explores an amended version of Weiner's helping behaviour model potentially more specific to the context of care staff working with people with learning disabilities and challenging behaviours. Key elements of the helping model (causal attributions, affective responses and helping behaviour) were assessed using self-report questionnaires. Helping behaviour was conceptualised as behaviour likely to reinforce challenging behaviour rather than as willingness to expend extra effort helping. 123 care staff in adult services viewed one of two videos depicting a person with learning disabilities engaging in self-injurious behaviour. Staff completed self-report scales after viewing the video material. Results found little evidence for the predicted associations between causal attributions and both positive and negative afffect. The study found no evidence that Weiner's model could be amended to account for staff working with challenging behaviour. Discusses the potential utility of alternative models in addition to methodological and conceptual issues.