The effectiveness of positive behaviour support in reducing challenging behaviour and increasing quality of life for individuals with intellectual disability
| Date | 14 June 2023 |
| Pages | 245-252 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-03-2023-0007 |
| Published date | 14 June 2023 |
| Author | Katherine Dewey,Sean Evans,Sarah Horsley,Ellis Baker |
The effectiveness of positive behaviour
support in reducing challenging behaviour
and increasing quality of life for individuals
with intellectual disability
Katherine Dewey, Sean Evans, Sarah Horsley and Ellis Baker
Abstract
Purpose –Intensive support teams (ISTs) are often poorly understood, despite reports of their
effectiveness in managing behaviour that challenges for individuals with an intellectual disability. This
paper aims to contributeto the understanding of ISTs through evaluatingone IST’s process and their use
of positivebehaviour support (PBS) as an intervention.
Design/methodology/approach –Participants were obtainedfrom the ISTs discharge database, and
pre- and post-interventiondata from these participantswas used for analysis.
Findings –Three-paired sample t-testsfound that there were significant differences between pre- and
post-scores on the behaviour problem inventory, Health of the Nation Outcomes Scale for people with
Learning Disabilities and periodic service reviews, which measure quality of targeted, individualised
support. This indicatesthat challenging behaviour frequency and severitywere lower post-intervention,
quality of life improved post-intervention and staff teams implemented recommended strategies more
consistentlyby the end of the intervention.
Originality/value –This service evaluation captured data over seven-year period, which helps to
contributeto the understanding of the effectivenessof ISTs and the PBS framework.
Keywords Positive behaviour support, Intellectual disability, Quality of life, Challenging behaviour,
Service evaluation, Outcome measures
Paper type Research paper
Introduction
It is estimated that 1.5 million people in the UK have an intellectual disability (ID) (Mencap,
2020), defined as cognitive impairments in the presence of deficits in adaptive functioning
that have been present since childhood (BPS, 2001).The prevalence of adults who present
with challenging behaviour (CB) is approximately 18% (Hassiotis et al.,2020). Such
behaviours are described as self-injurious, aggressive or inappropriate sexual behaviours
(Hassiotis et al.,2020;O’Dwyer et al.,2018). People with ID and CB areat increased risk of
developing mental health problems such as anxiety and sleep complications, which can
have a negative impact on CB (Strydom et al., 2020). Failure to manage behaviours and
support people not only increasesthe risk of distress to the individual, family and carers but
also increases the risk of restrictive practices, poor physical health, the use of long-term
psychotropic medication, or hospital admissions. In addition, staff and families may
experience physical injuries, increased levels of stress and burnout (Devereux et al., 2009).
Therefore, strategies to decrease the probability of CBs would be beneficial to people with
ID, their carers and services.
Katherine Dewey,
Sean Evans, Sarah Horsley
and Ellis Baker are all
based at the Southern
Health NHS Foundation
Trust, Southampton, UK.
Received 6 March 2023
Revised 1 June 2023
Accepted 1 June 2023
PAGE 244 jADVANCES IN MENTAL HEALTH ANDINTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES jVOL. 17NO. 4 2023, pp. 244-251,©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 2044-1282DOI 10.1108/AMHID-03-2023-0007
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