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Maintaining long‐term therapeutic programmes: a qualitative case study
Author(s) -
Brown J. F.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
british journal of learning disabilities
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.633
H-Index - 39
eISSN - 1468-3156
pISSN - 1354-4187
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-3156.2005.00307.x
Subject(s) - pace , feeling , psychology , toilet , nursing , behaviour change , challenging behaviour , qualitative research , medicine , learning disability , medical education , developmental psychology , social psychology , psychological intervention , geodesy , pathology , geography , social science , sociology
Summary Maintaining therapeutic programmes for people with learning disabilities over long periods of time presents a major challenge to care systems as the limited and slow pace of client behavioural change is often insufficient to sustain staff behaviour. In this study, a 17‐year‐old young man with profound learning difficulties was successfully supported on a toilet training programme for more than 2 years. In spite of early setbacks and only limited behavioural change the staff team persisted with the programme. Four factors were identified as supporting staff behaviour with the programme: (1) parental involvement, (2) the therapeutic culture and values of the care system, (3) support from external agencies and (4) positive staff feelings towards the client.