LEARNING DISABILITY STAFF AND AGGRESSION FROM CLIENTS

Abstract

This study was designed to investigate whether provision of information, in the form of a leaflet, about issues surrounding aggression and violence at work would lower anxiety about aggression and increase confidence in dealing with aggression, in care staff working in learning disability. A brief evaluation of the leaflet was carried out, and measures taken to establish whether information was assimilated from the leaflet. Also investigated were other feelings that care staff had about aggression at work. An information leaflet entitled "Preventing and coping with an aggressive incident involving a client in your care", and a questionnaire entitled "Aggressive incidents involving a client at work" were constructed. The questionnaire incorporated a scale for measuring 'Confidence in dealing with aggression'. 53 care staff, working in residential homes for people with learning disabilities, completed pre and post-intervention Spielberger State-Trait Form Y-1 questionnaires, and "Aggressive incidents involving a client at work" questionnaires. Results were analysed using analysis of variance, t-tests and Pearson's product moment correlation. No differences were found in levels of anxiety or confidence in dealing with aggression between two experimental groups and a control group, pre and post-intervention, but a significant difference was found in levels of anxiety within the groups pre and post-intervention. The leaflet was evaluated positively, but information was not assimilated. These and other findings are discussed in relation to present practice and implications for future research.