Investigating Burnout and Psychological Well‐Being of Staff Working with People with Intellectual Disabilities and Challenging Behaviour: The Role of Personality

Background The present research extended previous research by broadening the dimensions of personality traits, and focusing on burnout and psychological well‐being among staff working with people with intellectual disabilities and challenging behaviour. Methods This is a cross‐sectional survey in which 103 staff completed questionnaires measuring clients’ challenging behaviour according to staff perception, as well as staff burnout, psychological well‐being and personality traits. Results Regression analyses showed that staff perception of challenging behaviour predicted burnout. Controlling for challenging behaviour, three personality traits (neuroticism, extraversion and conscientiousness) predicted burnout and psychological well‐being. Conclusions Personality traits can affect the degree of burnout and poor psychological well‐being that staff may experience. Staff should be informed about the role that their personality traits can play in their well‐being. Training programmes for staff should incorporate the complex relationship between personality traits and well‐being. Further studies should aim at identifying other personality traits that could increase or decrease resilience of staff working in this area.     

Mediators of Well‐being in Ageing Family Carers of Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Background Increasing numbers of adults with an intellectual disability are being cared for at home by ageing parents. The purpose of this study was to determine whether carer resources (i.e. social support and formal service use) and carer appraisals of ageing and stress/burden mediate the relationships between (1) maladaptive behaviour and carer depression; (2) carer health and carer depression; (3) maladaptive behaviour and carer quality of life; and (4) carer health and carer quality of life. Methods Eighty parents over the age of 50 were interviewed using a number of measures concerning their overall health, perceptions of ageing and stress, depression, and their child's maladaptive behaviour. Results Carer perceptions of ageing and stress emerged as significant mediators of the relationship between carer health and depression. In addition, perceived carer stress emerged as a significant mediator of the relationship between maladaptive behaviour and carer depression. Resources and appraisals did not emerge as significant mediators in analyses using quality of life as a positive outcome. Conclusions Results highlight the important contributions of appraisals to well‐being and raise questions for future research regarding the role of resources such as informal and formal support in the coping process.     

Stress among Mothers of Children with Intellectual Disabilities in Urban India: Role of Gender and Maternal Coping

Background The study assessed stress among mothers of young children with intellectual disabilities in urban India and examined the extent to which child functioning and maternal coping predict maternal stress. Through qualitative analyses, the study identified negative and positive dimensions of Indian mothers’ caregiving experiences. Materials and Methods Mothers completed Parenting Stress Index‐Short Form, and children’s teachers completed Vineland‐II teacher rating form. Maternal responses to a semi‐structured interview were rated to assess maternal coping and content analysed to derive qualitative themes. Results Three‐fourths of the sample obtained a clinically significant stress score, and maternal coping emerged as a robust predictor of stress for mothers of boys with intellectual disabilities. Qualitative analyses indicated positive and negative maternal experiences related to self, child, family and community. Conclusions The high level of stress has important clinical implications. Similarly, the significant role of maternal coping, moderating role of child gender and the multidimensional caregiving experiences have implications for future research and family interventions in India.     

Longitudinal Study of Parents’ Impact on Quality of Life of Children and Young Adults with Intellectual Disabilities

Background Earlier research has distinguished five domains of Quality of life (QoL) for people with ID: material well‐being, development and activity, physical well‐being, social well‐being, and emotional well‐being. We investigated parents’ perspectives on these domains and QoL for children and young adults with ID and hypothesized that parents’ well‐being would be a predictive factor in QoL of their children with ID. Methods Our longitudinal study administered questionnaires to parents at T₀ (n = 147) and T₁ (n = 108). The inclusion criteria were: (i) the child’s age 0–24 years and (ii) the child’s intellectual disability (IQ < 70 or IQ < 85 in combination with behavioural problems). Results Social well‐being of parents (P ≤ 0.001), changes in parents’ social well‐being (P ≤ 0.01) and changes in children’s social well‐being (P ≤ 0.05) were strong predictors of QoL for children with ID. Emotional well‐being of children with ID (P ≤ 0.01), changes in children’s emotional well‐being (P ≤ 0.01) and changes in emotional well‐being of parents (P ≤0.05) also predicted QoL of children with ID. Material well‐being of parents, and health, development and activity of the children were not predictors. Conclusion Our study revealed that predictors of QoL in children and young adults with ID occurred in the following domains: physical well‐being (children), social well‐being (parents and children) and emotional well‐being (parents and children).     

Physical Training and Well‐being in Older Adults with Mild Intellectual Disability: A Residential Care Study

Background Exercise is important for health and well‐being. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of physical training on general well‐being and self‐image in older people with intellectual disability. Methods This study evaluated older adults with intellectual disability in residential care in Israel. The concept of well‐being perceived by the participants was measured by direct interview with a questionnaire consisting of 37 structural statements. The physical training programme was conducted three times a week for 10 consecutive months. Results Statistical analyses suggested a positive relationship between perceived well‐being and physical training between the experimental and control group. Conclusions This positive relation supports the important role of physical training to improve perceived well‐being among older adults with intellectual disability.     

Subjective Quality of Life of Women with Intellectual Disabilities: The Role of Perceived Control over their Own Life in Self‐determined Behaviour

Background Quality of life for people with intellectual disabilities has been reported in the research literature across differing demographics. There has been, however, little research that has examined in‐depth the experiences of women with intellectual disabilities aged 40 years or older. Materials and methods Fifty‐five women from Sydney, Australia, and Prague, Czech Republic, were recruited to the study. Participants were recruited through agencies known to the researchers, ensuring ethical conduct of all procedures. Results Each participant completed a semi‐structured interview, and using a grounded theory approach, a series of themes were identified common across all women. The strongest theme identified throughout the interviews was the lack of control participants perceived they had over their lives. Conclusions The results of this study further the call for people with intellectual disabilities to be provided the opportunity to participate in decisions about their life choices.     

The Effect of Reminiscence Group Work on Life Satisfaction,Self‐Esteem and Mood of Ageing People with Intellectual Disabilities

Background This study evaluates the effects of reminiscence group work on the subjective well‐being of ageing people with intellectual disabilities. Methods The content of the successive group work sessions was manipulated as follows: a control‐phase with three ‘current topics’ sessions, an experimental phase with six ‘reminiscence’ sessions and finally three ‘current topics’ sessions. Life satisfaction, perceived self‐competence and mood were measured by questionnaires, filled in by the participants and direct support workers. Results A quasi‐experimental pre‐test–post‐test design (n = 41) did not detect any changes in life satisfaction and perceived self‐competence. For mood, a quasi‐experimental ABA‐design (n = 41) did not yield an experimental treatment effect, but a significant increase in scores was observed over time. Personality characteristics ‘extraversion’ and ‘emotional stability’, but not memory specificity were found to be significant covariates for the mood scores. Conclusion Although the study’s design did not allow us to confirm the effect of reminiscence group work, the analysis nonetheless revealed some useful indications for further research. Also, interviews conducted before and after the programme resulted in positive appraisals of the programme as a worthwhile and meaningful activity for ageing people with intellectual disability.     

Supported Employment for People with Intellectual Disability: The Effects of Job Breakdown on Psychological Well‐Being

Background This paper focuses on the transition to supported employment for people with intellectual disabilities paying particular attention to the impact of job breakdown on psychological well‐being; an issue often omitted from studies. Materials and Methods Forty‐nine people with intellectual disabilities were interviewed within 3 months of entering supported employment and 9–12 months later. Data collection involved in‐depth interviews with people with intellectual disabilities, their carers and employers and completion of a self‐report measure of depression and anxiety (an adapted form of the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), and a self‐report measure of quality of life (the ComQol). Results By time of the follow‐up interviews, 13 of the 49 jobs had broken down. Analysis of scores measuring quality of life, anxiety and depression showed no effect for loss of employment. However, interviews with participants indicated that job loss had a considerable impact on those affected. Conclusions There were a wide range of reasons for job breakdown, many of which were particular to the circumstances of people with intellectual disabilities. Although job breakdown does not have an impact of anxiety or depression many participants found job loss traumatic.     

The Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem and Resilience on the Relationship Between Internalized Stigma and Quality of Life in People with Schizophrenia

PurposeThis study examined the mediating effects of self-esteem and resilience on the relationship between internalized stigma and quality of life in people with schizophrenia.MethodsThe participants were 123 people with schizophrenia (mean age = 41.87 years; 62.6% men) recruited from Soonchunhyang university hospital, a mental health center, and daytime rehabilitation facilities located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province in South Korea. Using a cross-sectional survey, participants completed structured questionnaires with psychometric adequacy. The regression method of Baron and Kenny was used to test the mediating effects of self-esteem and resilience on the relationship between internalized stigma and quality of life.ResultsSelf-esteem and resilience were found to be full and partial mediators, respectively, in the relationship between internalized stigma and quality of life.ConclusionThe findings of this study imply that effective future intervention strategies should target improvements in self-esteem and resilience to reduce the negative impact of internalized stigma on the quality of life of people with schizophrenia.     

Maternal Perceptions of Care‐Giving of Children with Developmental Disabilities in the United Arab Emirates

Background This qualitative study discusses family care‐giving of children with developmental disabilities in the United Arab Emirates. Findings were reviewed in terms of the influence of culture on gender norms governing parental behaviour and aspirations. Method An ethnographic approach is used in which parent participants were interviewed intensively. The data were then analysed commensurate with ethnographic methodology in which parental care was considered in terms of gender differentials, in addition to other factors. Results Although mothers carried the main burden of support, this is ameliorated by cultural interpretations of the role of motherhood as well as practical coping strategies. Discrimination towards disability as well as gender is evident although countered by maternal strategies of resistance. Conclusions These indicate that daughters with disabilities are subject to oppressive attitudes and commensurate behaviour within the family setting, as well as in the wider society. However, such measures may in turn be challenged by mothers who demonstrate parental coping strategies that are both influenced by as well as subversive of cultural norms.     

Subjective well‐being of mental health nurses in the United Kingdom: Results of an online survey

The aim of the present study was to measure the subjective well‐being of a group of 225 UK registered mental health nurses (MHN) using three survey measures, and to identify whether certain demographic and workplace factors correlated with subjective well‐being measure scores. An online survey incorporating the subjective well‐being questions used by the Office for National Statistics, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Warwick Edinburgh Mental Well‐Being Scale was administered to members of two professional bodies for MHN. There was good consistency between the three subjective well‐being measures, each demonstrating that UK MHN had a relatively low subjective well‐being. Apart from the Office for National Statistics question, ‘Overall, to what extent do you feel the things you do in your life are worthwhile?’, demographic and workplace factors did not correlate with subjective well‐being measure scores, although the characteristics of being male, living alone, and being aged 40–49 years were associated with lower mean scores on all three measures. The findings of the exploratory study suggest that a similar study should be undertaken with a larger representative population of MHN, and that qualitative research should explore why and how UK MHN have relatively low subjective well‐being. The limitations of this study, namely the response rate and sample representativeness, mean that the results of the present study must be tested in further research on the MHN population.