Staff training on formulation and fire-setting in people with intellectual disabilities
| Date | 02 November 2015 |
| Pages | 371-380 |
| Published date | 02 November 2015 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-05-2015-0021 |
| Author | Amy Tostevin,Abdul Shaikh |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Learning & intellectual disabilities |
Staff training on formulation and
fire-setting in people with intellectual
disabilities
Amy Tostevin and Abdul Shaikh
Amy Tostevin is based at
The Centre for Forensic and
Family Psychology, University
of Nottingham, Nottingham,
UK.
Dr Abdul Shaikh is Consultant
Psychiatrist at Nottinghamshire
Healthcare NHS Trust,
Nottingham, UK.
Abstract
Purpose –The purpose of this paper is to present the development and evaluation of an original training
package for staff members on fire-setting in people with intellectual disabilities. It also included training on
functional analysis as a model of formulating the fire-setting behaviour. The quality and effectiveness of the
training was assessed and is reported in this paper.
Design/methodology/approach –The training was delivered on a ward for people with intellectual
disabilities in a UK NHS Trust Low Secure Hospital and was attended by various members of the
multidisciplinary team for the ward. The workshop consisted of four modules: theoretical background of
fire-setting, the functional analysis model of fire-setting formulation, offence-paralleling behaviours in secure
settings and a case study practice. Level of self-reported understanding of the various aspects of the training
was measured by an evaluation questionnaire completed pre and post training.
Findings –The results of this study showed that following the training there was a significant increase in
self-reported understanding of staff members. The participants reported an increase in understanding
of fire-setting, functional analysis and formulation of individuals with an intellectual disability and history of
fire-setting.
Originality/value –This study highlights the potential for staff training to increase awareness of fire-setting
behaviours by people with intellectual disabilities. The staff training in formulation would encourage their
involvement in development of team formulations and may subsequently increase their understanding
of such individuals.
Keywords Formulation, Staff training, Intellectual disabilities, Functional analysis, Fire-setting,
Staff workshop
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
The proportion of individuals residing in psychiatric units with convictions for arson is large
(Rutherford and Duggan, 2007). In addition, the prevalence of arson and fire-setting amongst
individuals with an intellectual disability is said to be high (Devapriam et al., 2007) with the
proportion of people with intellectual disabilities detained in a secure service with a conviction of
arson reaching 20 per cent in some studies (Taylor et al., 2002). Conversely the literature on
fire-setting and arson is relatively under developed (Gannon and Pina, 2010; Lindsay et al., 2014)
and one could therefore suggest knowledge, experience and skills may be similarly limited
among staff members working with such individuals in secure settings.
Although used interchangeably, there is a distinction between arson and fire-setting. The term
arson is widely used in cases where the behaviour has been performed with unlawful intent to
Received 10 May 2015
Revised 5 July 2015
Accepted 11 August 2015
DOI 10.1108/AMHID-05-2015-0021 VOL. 9 NO. 6 2015, pp.371-380, © Emerald Group Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282
j
ADVANCESIN MENTAL HEALTH AND INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
j
PAGE371
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