There is a growing literature on the interaction of issues that impact on outcomes for people with learning disabilities who live in supported housing or other residential services. Issues relating to the organisation of supports can play a key role in influencing outcomes. This review of the literature set out to look at these issues and in particular staff psychological factors, which the authors believe to be increasingly being important. This review looked at staff attitudes, attributions, well being and other factors that may impact on outcomes for residents.

They found that staff beliefs were associated with the relationship between challenging behaviour and burnout experienced by staff.  Outcomes relating to significant changes for people with disabilities such as placement breakdown appeared to influenced by staff attributions. They suggest that there is an emerging body of evidence suggesting staff psychological factors could also influence the quality of physical healthcare received by people with learning disabilities.

The authors conclude that there is now sufficient evidence to suggest that clinicians should routinely assess and evaluate staff psychological factors when considering clinical interventions as these factors are likely to impact on the effectiveness of the intervention and subsequent outcome for residents. They recommend further research, in particular, evaluating specific impacts of staff psychological factors on resident outcomes.

How do staff psychological factors influence outcomes for people with developmental and intellectual disability in residential services? Rose, J, Current Opinion in Psychiatry, 24, 5, 403–407