• Accreditation
    • Systems Accreditation
    • Quality Assurances Accreditation
    • Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation
    • Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation, With Distinction
    • Network Accreditation
    • Accredited Organizations
    • Promoting Your Accreditation
    • Accreditation Inquiry
  • Training
    • Personal Outcome Measures® Training
    • Virtual Personal Outcome Measures® Workshops
    • Basic Assurances® Training
    • Person-Centered Training
    • Enhancing Supports Training
    • Accreditation Preparation Training
    • E-Learning Courses
    • Training Inquiry
  • Certification
  • Research
    • Research Projects
    • Research Articles
    • PORTAL Data System
  • Consultation
  • Tools
    • Personal Outcome Measures®
    • Basic Assurances®
    • PORTAL Data System
  • Resources
    • Articles
    • Capstone Newsletters
    • Guides
    • Manuals
    • Webinars
    • Projects
    • Events
    • Rights Conversation Cards
    • Sex & Relationships Conversation Cards
    • The CQL POST App
  • About Us
  • Partnerships
  • Pay Fees

A Decrease font size. A Reset font size. A Increase font size.

Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Partnerships
  • Pay Fees

A Decrease font size. A Reset font size. A Increase font size.

The Council on Quality and Leadership
Contact Us
MENU
  • Accreditation
    • Systems Accreditation
    • Quality Assurances Accreditation
    • Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation
    • Person-Centered Excellence Accreditation, With Distinction
    • Network Accreditation
    • Accredited Organizations
    • Promoting Your Accreditation
    • Accreditation Inquiry
  • Training
    • Personal Outcome Measures® Training
    • Virtual Personal Outcome Measures® Workshops
    • Basic Assurances® Training
    • Person-Centered Training
    • Enhancing Supports Training
    • Accreditation Preparation Training
    • E-Learning Courses
    • Training Inquiry
  • Certification
  • Research
    • Research Projects
    • Research Articles
    • PORTAL Data System
  • Consultation
  • Tools
    • Personal Outcome Measures®
    • Basic Assurances®
    • PORTAL Data System
  • Resources
    • Articles
    • Capstone Newsletters
    • Guides
    • Manuals
    • Webinars
    • Projects
    • Events
    • Rights Conversation Cards
    • Sex & Relationships Conversation Cards
    • The CQL POST App
Contact Us
Resources | Articles | Reducing ‘Challenging’ Behavior By Training Support Staff to Promote Dignity and Respect

Reducing ‘Challenging’ Behavior By Training Support Staff to Promote Dignity and Respect

Our study explored how dignity and respect can change behavior

Share This Post

Reducing ‘Challenging’ Behavior By Training Support Staff to Promote Dignity and Respect

Posted on July 7, 2020

By Carli Friedman, CQL Director of Research

Behavior is a form of communication. People with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who exhibit behavior that is considered ‘challenging’ may actually be experiencing a range of conditions which cause that behavior. For example, ‘challenging’ behavior may be the result of mental or physical health issues. It may be a way for people to express they are being abused. Or it may also be a way to express that their needs are not being met.

Since ‘challenging’ behavior is often related to environmental causes, we were interested in exploring if, and how, treating people with dignity and respect reduces instances of ‘challenging’ behavior. Support staff in particular play an important role in promoting dignity and respect. For these reasons, CQL | The Council on Quality and Leadership conducted this study which examined the relationship between support staff being trained to promote dignity and respect and to recognize each person as a unique individual, and the number of ‘challenging’ behaviors exhibited by people with IDD. To do so, we analyzed Basic Assurances® data from 74 organizations that supported approximately 7,000 people with IDD.

IDD MLTSS Workgroup: Dignity of Risk

Our findings revealed a relationship between support staff being trained to promote dignity and respect, and ‘challenging’ behavior, regardless of the agency size or geographic location. People with IDD exhibited significantly fewer ‘challenging’ behaviors when supported by an agency that trained support staff to promote dignity and respect, compared to those people with IDD supported by agencies that did not train support staff to promote dignity and respect – a difference of 61% (see figure).

The Relationship Between Training Support Staff to Promote
Dignity and Respect, and ‘Challenging’ Behavior

Graph showing that when staff are trained to promote dignity and respect there are fewer behavior events (0.52 per person supported) than when they are not trained (1.32 behavior events)

“While not all ‘challenging’ behavior may be reduced by staff being trained to promote dignity and respect alone, findings from our study suggest this training may be one mechanism to reduce the incidence of ‘challenging’ behaviors, and by extension, the need for behavior intervention services which are costly, and, in some forms, controversial. However, regardless of if, or how, dignity or respect reduces incidences of ‘challenging’ behaviors, all people with IDD are entitled to respect” (Friedman, 2020, p. 12).

DOWNLOAD FULL STUDY
Shoosh

Featured Webinar

Ongoing Staff Development in Disability Services

In this webinar, we describe our recent research about the impact ongoing staff development has on the health and safety of people with IDD, and look at best practices in implementing and promoting ongoing staff development initiatives.

View The Webinar

Related Resources

1 in 4: Housing Insecurity of People with Cognitive Disabilities on Medicaid

1 in 4: Housing Insecurity of People with Cognitive Disabilities on Medicaid

September 29, 2022

We examined the pandemic experiences of people with cognitive disabilities.

Article
Building Staff Morale At Community Living New Zealand

Building Staff Morale At Community Living New Zealand

September 16, 2022

Read about how Community Living New Zealand is recognising employees through their Annual Staff Awards.

Article
Children’s Aid and Family Services: Recognizing DSPs Throughout The Year

Children’s Aid and Family Services: Recognizing DSPs Throughout The Year

September 15, 2022

Discover how The Appreciation Corner helps Children's Aid and Family Services demonstrate their appreciation of DSPs.

Article
Energy Insecurity of People with Disabilities During the Pandemic

Energy Insecurity of People with Disabilities During the Pandemic

September 15, 2022

We examined people with disabilities’ energy insecurity, including compared to nondisabled people.

Article
‘Buddies’ Help Improve DSP Retention At Mountain Lake Services

‘Buddies’ Help Improve DSP Retention At Mountain Lake Services

September 14, 2022

The Buddy Program, created by Mountain Lake Services, pairs new DSPs with veteran DSPs for support and guidance.

Article
The Arc of Carroll County Lifts Up DSPs Through Project RISE

The Arc of Carroll County Lifts Up DSPs Through Project RISE

September 13, 2022

Learn about the certification program that provides professional development and career growth for DSPs.

Article
Improving Recruitment, Retention And Culture In Licking County, Ohio

Improving Recruitment, Retention And Culture In Licking County, Ohio

September 12, 2022

The Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities’ program helps recruit and retain DSPs.

Article
52% of People with Disabilities Faced Financial Hardship During the Pandemic

52% of People with Disabilities Faced Financial Hardship During the Pandemic

June 30, 2022

We examined financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic

Article
Share Your DSP Program That Makes A Long-Lasting Impact

Share Your DSP Program That Makes A Long-Lasting Impact

June 16, 2022

Tell us about your agency-wide initiative that confronts direct support professional workforce issues.

Article
Continuity and Security: An Important Aspect of Quality of Life

Continuity and Security: An Important Aspect of Quality of Life

April 13, 2022

We examine the impact of continuity and security on quality of life

Article
View All Resources

CONTACT US

100 West Road, Suite 300
Towson, Maryland 21204

(410) 275-0488

CONNECT WITH CQL

NEWSLETTER SIGNUP

Expertise, insight and tips to help you improve the quality of your supports.
  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

CQL AFFILIATE

The National Leadership Consortium is an affiliate of CQL.

© 2023 The Council on Quality and Leadership Inc. All Rights Reserved. Designed by Top Floor

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use