Analysis of ward staff initiatives towards mentally retarded residents:clues for intervention

Traditionally, efforts to improve the quality of residential care for the mentally retarded are focused on modifying particular ward staff behaviours. Several studies suggest, however, that ward staff behaviours are, at least partly, controlled by certain resident behaviours. This study investigated the relationship between resident behaviour and resident directed initiatives by ward staff. Recording occurred on four living groups with 39 residents during 32 weeks on the average for each group. Pearson product-moment correlations revealed that residents' level of ambulation, waking state, looking behaviours, adaptive-, maladaptive- and stereotype behaviours were related to the amount and quality of resident directed initiatives. The results suggest that modifying certain resident behaviours might offer a fruitful strategy for improving residential care for mentally retarded individuals.