Individual and Environmental Characteristics of Residential Workers Using Restraint and Seclusion in Youth Treatment Centers

ABSTRACT

The use of restraint and seclusion (R&S) in residential youth treatment centers has been a controversial topic over the past years. This study explored the differences between R&S super users and normal users for residential workers in terms of individual and environmental characteristics over eight weeks. One hundred ninety-eight residential workers completed the questionnaires, and Bayesian independent samples t-tests were conducted to verify the differences between the two groups. The results showed very strong evidence that super users have a greater fear of violence (B10 = 65.57), indeed strong evidence that they perceive more verbal aggression (B10 = 18.264), very strong evidence that they witness more aggression against themselves (B10 = 87.35), and extremely strong evidence that they perceive themselves to be more often victims of physical aggression (B10 = 398.55) than normal users. Moderate evidence also revealed that super users experienced a higher level of traumatic stress and perceived a better work climate than normal user (B10 = 3.751 and B10 = 5.116). Perceived stress, chronic fatigue, acute fatigue, recovery, self-efficacy, compassion fatigue, burnout, and social climate order, and organization (work team’s orientation and sense of cohesion) were not statistically associated with R&S (B10 = 0.166 to 0.415).

KEYWORDS:

• Restraint and seclusion
• residential treatment centers for youth
• residential workers
• super users

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This research was funded by Le Fonds de la recherche du Québec - Société et culture (FRQSC −2018-NP-205308), by the Social Sciences and Humanities Council of Canada Research Council (SSHRC - 430-2016-00170) and by Le Fonds de la recherche du Québec et l’Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et sécurité au travail (FRQ-IRSST 268274) through grants accorded to the second author.