Self‐efficacy and stress of staff managing challenging behaviours of people with learning disabilities

Abstract

Accessible summary• The professional caregivers of persons with learning disabilities are the focus of this research. They have been shown to experience high levels of stress when they have to face challenging behaviours. This stress may also affect the persons under their care as they can respond to them in an inappropriate way. • The way professional caregivers believe in their competencies to help the persons showing challenging behaviours plays a great role in their stress experience. • Some ideas for research are presented to help professional caregivers to increase their feeling of competency in situations of challenging behaviours. SummarySelf-efficacy has been reported to play a significant role in stress levels of parents facing challenging behaviours of their children with learning disabilities. The role of self-efficacy has also been found to affect the stress levels of professional caregivers in such situations. To understand the implications of staff self-efficacy in stressful situations of challenging behaviours, its inscription in transactional stress process will be considered. As a result, this study investigates this relationship through a qualitative design. Semi-structured interview format was selected. Theoretical indicators of self-efficacy regarding particular stress stages were identified in a categorical analysis. A case study method was used to promote the apparition of ecological data and enhance comprehension of inter-influences. Findings highlight the importance of adequate measures of self-efficacy regarding its insertion in particular contexts. Moreover, different forms of self-efficacy related to the coping process are suggested.

The impact of staff training on staff outcomes in dementia care: a systematic review

“…This reinforces views expressed by the staff about a desire for further training in managing challenging behaviour (World Alzheimer Report, ). The findings also mirror those found in other domains such as care staff working with people with intellectual disabilities (Cudré‐Mauroux, ). The success of training programmes with a focus on challenging behaviour may indicate a potential focus for future interventions.…”

Factors Associated with Parental Adaptation to Children with an Undiagnosed Medical Condition

“…Coping efficacy, also known as coping self-efficacy, is defined as one's perceived ability to successfully cope with a given situation (Bandura 1997). Research has demonstrated that high levels of coping efficacy can enhance personal accomplishments and adaptation, as individuals with higher perceived coping efficacy approach difficult tasks as challenges to be mastered, rather than threats to be avoided (Cudré-Mauroux 2011). Previous research has identified four sources of influence in ones coping efficacy: mastery experiences (previous experiences), vicarious experiences (seeing others similar to oneself succeed), positive social persuasions, and psychological state (Bandura 1997).…”

Towards a framework in interaction training for staff working with clients with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour

“…Another type of reactions consists of staff causal beliefs or attributions, being the locus of causality (cause is within the client or external), stability (cause is invariant or changeable) and control (whether the cause is controllable), which should be separated in a personal and an external controllability dimension (McAuley, Duncan & Russell, ). In addition to emotions and attributions, self‐efficacy beliefs have proven to exert a pervasive influence on behaviour (Caprara, Vecchione, Barbarenelli, & Alessandri, ), and in staff, self‐efficacy plays a significant role in dealing with CB (Cudré‐Mauroux, ). In summary, exploring the influence of staff emotional reactions, attributions and self‐efficacy on staff interpersonal behaviour when dealing with an individual ID client with CB is warranted.…”