The Who’s Challenging Who? (WCW) training is coproduced and delivered by people with intellectual disabilities (IDs), and it aims to improve staff empathy for people with challenging behaviour (CB). This study qualitatively describes trainees’ and trainers’ experiences of the WCW.
Methods:
Semi-structured interviews were undertaken with managers (n = 7), support staff (n = 6) and the WCW trainers (n = 4; three had IDs). Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using thematic analysis.
Results:
Two cross-cutting themes were drawn from the data: (1) valued roles of the trainers, whereby trainers and trainees benefited from the training being coproduced and delivered by people with IDs, and (2) beyond the training, within which trainees reported that they were engaging in increased reflection about their past and current practice.
Conclusions:
Being trained by people with IDs and CB appears to be a useful method, which can lead to perspective taking and reflection about supporting people with IDs and CB.
AllportGW (1954) The Nature of Prejudice. Reading: Addison-Wesley.
2.
BlackLARobertsP (2009) People with a learning disability as trainers: evaluation of a values based pilot training programme. British Journal of Learning Disabilities37(2): 129–137. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-3156.2008.00533.x
3.
BraunVClarkeV (2006) Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology3(2): 77–101. DOI:10.1191/1478088706qp063oa
BromleyJEmersonE (1995) Beliefs and emotional reactions of care staff working with people with challenging behaviour. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research39(4): 341–352. DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2788.1995.tb00526.x
6.
BrownleeJCarringtonS (2000) Opportunities for authentic experience and reflection: a teaching programme designed to change attitudes towards disability for pre-service teachers. Support for Learning15(3): 99–105.
Department of Health (2012) DH Winterbourne View Review. Concordat: Programme of Action. Available at: http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk/pdf/Concordat.pdf (accessed 3 November 2017).
9.
DinsmoreAHigginsL (2011) Study of patients’ experiences of treatment by hospital staff: research indicates that the recommendations of the Death by Indifference inquiry are going unheeded, say Mencap’s Adam Dinsmore and Laura Higgins. Learning Disability Practice14(5): 18–22.
10.
EggletonIRobertsonSRyanJ, et al. (1999) The impact of employment on the quality of life of people with an intellectual disability. Journal of Vocational Rehabilitation13(2): 95–107.
11.
EmersonE (2001) Challenging Behaviour: Analysis and Intervention in People with Severe Intellectual Disabilities. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
12.
EmersonEHattonC (2008) CEDR Research Report 2008 (1): People with Learning Disabilities in England. Lancaster: Centre for Disability Research, Lancaster University.
13.
FlynnSHulbert-WilliamsNHulbert-WilliamsL, et al. (2016) “You don’t know what’s wrong with you”: an exploration of cancer-related experiences in people with an intellectual disability. Psycho-Oncology25(10): 1198–1205. DOI:10.1002/PON.4211
14.
FrawleyPBigbyC (2014) “I'm in their shoes”: Experiences of peer educators in sexuality and relationship education. Journal of intellectual and developmental disability39(2): 167–176.
15.
GriffithGMHutchinsonLHastingsRP (2013) “I’m not a patient, I’m a person”: the experiences of individuals with intellectual disabilities and challenging behavior – A thematic synthesis of qualitative studies. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice20(4): 469–488. DOI:10.1111/CPSP.12053
16.
GyselsMShipmanCHigginsonIJ (2008) Is the qualitative research interview an acceptable medium for research with palliative care patients and carers?BMC Medical Ethics9(1): 7. DOI:10.1186/1472-6939-9-7
17.
HastingsRPAllenDBakerP, et al. (2013) A conceptual framework for understanding why challenging behaviours occur in people with developmental disabilities. International Journal of Positive Behavioural Support3(2): 5–13.
18.
HastingsRPGillespieDFlynnS, et al. (2018) Co-produced training to improve support staff attitudes and empathy towards adults with intellectual disability and behaviours that challenge: A cluster randomised controlled trial of the Who's Challenging Who? intervention. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research62(9): 8–813. DOI: 1/jir.12536
19.
HattonC (2017) Living arrangements of adults with learning disabilities across the UK. Tizard Learning Disability Review22(1): 43–50. DOI:10.1108/TLDR-11-2016-0040
20.
HutchinsonLMHastingsRPHuntPH, et al. (2014) Who’s Challenging Who? Changing attitudes towards those whose behaviour challenges. Journal of Intellectual Disability Research58(2): 99–109. DOI:10.1111/J.1365-2788.2012.01630.X
21.
JahodaAKempJRiddellS, et al. (2008) Feelings about work: a review of the socio-emotional impact of Supported Employment on people with intellectual disabilities. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities21(1): 1–18. DOI:10.1111/J.1468-3148.2007.00365.x
22.
MayerCMcKenzieK (2017) ‘…it shows that there’s no limits’: the psychological impact of co-production for experts by experience working in youth mental health. Health & Social Care in the Community25(3): 1181–1189. DOI:10.1111/HSC.12418
23.
NHS England, Local Government Association and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (2015) Building the right support: a national plan to develop community services and close inpatient facilities for people with a learning disability and/or autism who display behaviour that challenges, including those with a mental health condition. Available at: https://www.england.nhs.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/ld-nat-imp-plan-oct15.pdf(accessed 3 November 2017).
24.
RandellEHastingsRPMcNamaraR, et al. (2017) Effectiveness of the ‘Who's Challenging Who’ support staff training intervention to improve attitudes and empathy towards adults with intellectual disability and challenging behaviours: study protocol for a cluster randomised controlled trial. Trials18(1): 460.
25.
RoedenJMMaaskantMACurfsLM (2011) The views of clients with mild intellectual disabilities regarding their working relationships with caregivers. Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities24(5): 398–406. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-3148.2010.00622.x
26.
SchellESKayser-JonesJ (2007) “Getting into the skin”: empathy and role taking in certified nursing assistants’ care of dying residents. Applied Nursing Research20(3): 146–151. DOI:10.1016/J.APNR.2006.05.005
27.
ShakespeareTKleineI (2013) Educating health professionals about disability: A review of interventions. Health and Social Care Education2(2): 20–37. DOI:10.11120/hsce.2013.00026
28.
SheehanRHassiotisAWaltersK, et al. (2015). Mental illness, challenging behaviour, and psychotropic drug prescribing in people with intellectual disability: UK population based cohort study. BMJ351: h4326. DOI:10.1136/BMJ.H4326
29.
SinghNNLancioniGEWintonAS, et al. (2006) Mindful staff increase learning and reduce aggression in adults with developmental disabilities. Research in Developmental Disabilities27(5): 545–558. DOI:10.1016/J.RIDD.2005.07.002
30.
WeeksLShaneCMacDonaldF, et al. (2006) Learning from the experts: people with learning difficulties training and learning from each other. British Journal of Learning Disabilities34(1): 49–55. DOI:10.1111/j.1468-3156.2005.00353.x
