Interactions between adults with profound intellectual disability and staff

Abstract

Two main studies of interaction between adults with intellectual disability and staff are reported. The first varied five interactive strategies with nine clients. Results showed that increased positive behaviour from clients was associated with staff talking with them and using social routines. No such increase was observed when staff made their responses contingent on clients, a finding which was supported by the second study carried out with 16 staff-client pairs. In this second study no correlations were found between behaviour during interaction and developmental age.