Changes in staff confidence and attributions for challenging behaviour after training in positive behavioural support within a forensic medium secure service

Abstract

Positive behavioural support (PBS) is a non-aversive approach to preventing and managing challenging behaviours. Seventy-nine qualified and unqualified nursing, psychology and occupational therapy staff were trained in using PBS. To measure the effectiveness of the training, confidence in managing challenging behaviour and attributions for causality, control and stability were measured before and after the training. To measure confidence, an adapted version of the Confidence in Coping with Patient Aggression Instrument was used. Attributions were measured using the Challenging Behaviour Attributions Scale and the Causal Dimension Scale II. There was a significant increase in confidence after training. In addition, there were significant changes in attributions relating to causality and stability of challenging behaviour, particularly for qualified staff. The results suggest that confidence and attributions are affected positively by training in PBS within a medium secure forensic mental health setting.

Keywords:

• training
• positive behavioural support
• attributions
• confidence
• violence and aggression
• antisocial behaviour

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the staff who participated and the service managers for their on-going support and commitment to the PBS project.