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Item does not contain fulltext, A supportive social network is crucial for facilitating social inclusion. The social networks of people with intellectual disabilities (ID) are often small and typically include very little contact with friends and acquaintances who do not have ID. Professionals can play an important role in strengthening and expanding the social networks of clients. In this study, experiences with interventions aimed at doing this were examined. Six group interviews were held with a total of 27 professionals. The results showed interventions to strengthen social networks (e.g. attention to the maintenance of contact with network members) and interventions to expand social networks (e.g. participation in leisure time activities and working with volunteers). However, a large number of impeding factors was mentioned, such as the limited size of the social networks, characteristics of the client, different perceptions and clients falling between the cracks when it comes to leisure time. The large number of impeding factors shows the strengthening and expansion of social networks to be complicated in actual practice. Recommendations are thus made to strengthen and expand the social networks of clients in an innovative manner which also takes these impeding factors into account.

Item does not contain fulltext, Background: Research has shown that care staff are not always able to offer quality care. Commercialisation and market forces within the care sector are often pointed to as an explanation for this shortcoming. In the present study, insight is gained into the possible connections between the commercialisation of care, on the one hand, and the shrinkage of possibilities and motivation to offer professional loving care, on the other hand, from the perspective of care staff working with people with mild intellectual disabilities. Method: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with 28 care staff working with people with mild intellectual disabilities. Scientific research methods were combined with normative ethical reflection to examine the internal morals of the care staff. Results: According to participating care staff, an affiliation with and recognition of the client form the basis for professional loving care. Care staff recognise that their profession is increasingly being built upon manageability and accountability, and this is making their jobs more difficult. Conclusion: We conclude that care staff perceive the precedence given to the smooth running of production processes over investment in direct contact with clients to be a real threat to the quality of care. Concerns about declining motivation and loss of work satisfaction as a result of the commercialisation of care are only partly acknowledged by care staff. While shrinkage of space for professional loving care is recognised, one can hardly speak of declining motivation.

Item does not contain fulltext, In the research on people with intellectual disabilities and their social networks, the functional characteristics of their networks have been examined less often than the structural characteristics. Research on the structural characteristics of their networks is also usually restricted to the size and composition of the networks, moreover, with little attention to such characteristics as the variety, accessibility, length and origin of the relationships or the frequency and initiation of the contacts. A comprehensive examination of both the structural and functional characteristics of the social networks of 33 people with intellectual disabilities was therefore undertaken. The social networks of the individuals who all lived in the community varied from 4 to 28 members (mean 14.21); 42.65% of the network members were family members, 32.84% acquaintances and 24.51% professionals. Remarkable is the high frequency of contact with network members; the finding that the participants considered themselves to be the main initiator of contact more often than the other members of their networks as the main initiators; the high scores assigned to neighbours and professionals for functional characteristics; and the relatively low scores assigned to network members for the connection characteristic of the social networks. The important role of professionals in the social networks of people with mild intellectual disabilities and practical implications to facilitate their social inclusion are discussed.

Item does not contain fulltext, Sexually offensive behavior is prevalent among individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID) and many sex offenders also commit other offenses such as vandalism or assault. We examined the differences between sex offenders with ID and a history of combined sex and other types of offenses (mixed sex offenders) versus offenders with no history of sexual offenses (non-sex offenders). Dynamic client and environmental factors were measured using the Adult Behaviour Checklist (ABCL) and the Risk Inventarization Scale on Sexually Offensive Behavior of Clients with intellectual disabilities (RISC-V). Item, subscale, and total scores were then compared for the two groups. Most of the comparisons did not reveal significant differences between the two groups. The findings call for a general theory of offending behavior to explain the absence of differences between the mixed sex offenders and non-sex offenders with ID.

Contains fulltext : 102694.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), Recently, the Staff-Client Interactive Behavior Inventory (SCIBI) was developed, measuring both interpersonal and intrapersonal staff behavior in response to challenging behavior in clients with ID. The aim of the two studies presented here was first to confirm the factor structure and internal consistency of the SCIBI and second to demonstrate its convergent validity. In the first study, a total of 265 support staff members, employed in residential and community services, completed the SCIBI for 62 clients with ID and challenging behavior. In the second study, 158 staff members completed the SCIBI for 158 clients, as well as the SASB-Intrex, the NIAS and the Bar-On Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQI). Replication of a confirmatory factor analysis resulted in a consistent seven-factor solution of the SCIBI with high levels of internal consistency. Also, mostly good convergent validity with the SASB-Intrex and sufficient to good convergent validity with the NIAS and EQI were found, except for the self-reflective intrapersonal staff behavior scale. By replicating and extending earlier results on the SCIBI, it proves to be a reliable and sufficient valid measure of interpersonal and intrapersonal behavior of staff working with people with intellectual disabilities.

Contains fulltext : 90163.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), Given that sexually offensive behavior on the part of people with intellectual disabilities has been identified as a significant problem, we developed a risk assessment questionnaire, that takes not only various static and dynamic factors into account but also environmental risk variables. Psychologists and staff members completed this Risk lnventarization Scale on Sexually Offensive Behavior of Clients with Intellectual Disabilities for 56 intellectually disabled clients with sexually offensive behavior problems. The scale contains static client variables (rated using two- or five-point likert scales and open questions) and both dynamic client and environmental variables (rated using a five-point likert scale). Factor analyses of the dynamic client and environmental variables revealed three subscales: quality of supervision, offending behavior and emotional and social stability. Reliability analyses showed sufficient to good reliability for both the total scale (r = 0.82) and the identified subscales (quality of guidance r = 0.94; offending behavior r=0.75, and emotional and social stability r = 0.58). Correlational analyses of the quality of guidance subscale showed high positive correlations with such static variables as values and norms, living conditions, and criminal offenses in early youth. Because both dynamic and environmental variables can be altered, the implications for treatment of the sexually offensive behavior of clients with intellectual disabilities are discussed further.

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Item does not contain fulltext, This study describes the implementation of the main phases of the rehabilitation process of children with motor disabilities who visit Dutch therapeutic toddler classes. Parent involvement, as well as parents' and professionals' satisfaction were also investigated. It was found that in about half of the cases there was no initial assessment of the child, nor a jointly formulated intervention plan. When there was an assessment, several quality standards were not met. In most cases parents were involved in the evaluation phase of the rehabilitation process. However, the proportion of parents involved in the phases of assessment and intervention planning were much lower. The results are discussed within the context of current developments in The Netherlands with respect to team communication and recent research findings.

Katholieke Universiteit Nijmegen, 16 maart 2001, Promotores : Moor, J.M.H. de, Verhoeven, L.T.W., Item does not contain fulltext

Contains fulltext : 155408.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), Behaviour problems of young motor disabled children at home and in the therapeutic toddler class were examined and possible determinants and parents' need for and received help were assessed. The study is based on a representative sample of 81 motor disabled children with central nervous system related conditions, aged one to four years, newly admitted to a therapeutic toddler class of the Dutch rehabilitation centres. Behaviour problems were measured with the Child Behavior Checklist/2-3 and a Dutch behaviour questionnaire. At home, the prevalence of behaviour problems slightly exceeds the expected frequency in the general population of the same age. Significantly more mothers reported their children to display behaviour problems in general, and externalizing problems in particular, than infant teachers did in the therapeutic toddler class. The infant teachers significantly more often mentioned attentional problems. Externalizing behaviour problems at home occurred less frequently among children with the highest need for extra care-taking and with lowest self-help skills. Although one-third of the mothers expressed a need for help in dealing with their child's behaviour at home, half of them did not receive any help at all. The marked differences between behaviour problems at home and in the therapeutic toddler class are explained as part of the context in which assessment takes place. A more systematic approach of early parent guidance is recommended, given the severity of behaviour problems, their adverse consequences on both children and parents, and the parents' need for help in dealing with their child's behaviour.

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Item does not contain fulltext, The first purpose of this study was to determine to what degree infant teachers and therapists in Dutch therapeutic toddler classes perceive job stress. Another purpose was to identify the sources of job stress. Further, this study examined whether infant teachers, physical, occupational and speech therapists have to cope with different degrees of job stress and, finally, the influence of staff characteristics on the degree of job stress was investigated. Sixty-two infant teachers and 88 therapists working in therapeutic toddler classes completed a questionnaire for job stress. Most job stress was perceived to be a result of lack of non-contact time. Nine sources of job stress were identified. The four disciplines responded differently to the sources of stress. Regression analysis showed profession to be the strongest predictor of job stress.

Item does not contain fulltext, Objective: To determine parents' service needs at the start of therapeutic toddler class treatment, to analyse determinants and to investigate received help after a period of 10 months. Subjects: Parents with motor or multiply disabled children in therapeutic toddler classes. Setting: Sixteen out of 17 Dutch rehabilitation centres. Design: A sample of 84 parents, stratified according to toddler class size. Main outcome measures: A questionnaire of 33 items, divided into five categories, was designed to assess parents' needs and to evaluate the amount of received help. Several measures were used to assess child, parent and family characteristics. Results: Based on factor analysis, five need subscales were distinguished which only partially corresponded to the initial categories. The initial category concerning needs for help in family functioning did not come out as a factor. Needs expressed most frequently belonged to the three subscales of needs for information concerning the child. The average level of needs generally did not differ for mothers and fathers across the subscales. However, we found large variation in needs for both mothers and fathers on each subscale. The most important, positively correlated determinant of parents' needs was social isolation of the family. After 10 months a considerable level of unmet needs was found. Conclusions: A systematic and periodic assessment of individual needs of parents as well as the services offered is recommended. Professionals of the therapeutic toddler classes should especially focus on providing parents with information on their child's disability and therapy, community services and parenting.

Contains fulltext : 155464.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access), A 15-item questionnaire was developed to measure the perceived changes in well-being of parents with a motor disabled child during treatment in a Dutch therapeutic toddler class. Eighty-one mothers and 67 fathers completed the questionnaire. Factor analyses showed that two dimensions had to be distinguished in the questionnaire data. Parents perceived a positive change in well-being 10 months after their child started visiting the therapeutic toddler class. Mothers as well as fathers said to have gained more insight in their child’s abilities and to feel less that they are all on their own. The impact of the toddler class program on well-being was greater for mothers than for fathers, especially with respect to feeling fit, planning social activities, and having time for their own relaxation. Fathers, however, gained more insight in the abilities of the child than mothers did after ten months. Regression analyses showed some family, parent, and child characteristics to be predictive of mothers’ and fathers’ perceived change in well-being. Implications of these findings for future research are discussed.