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Effects of Training Staff in MBPBS on the Use of Physical Restraints, Staff Stress and Turnover, Staff and Peer Injuries, and Cost Effectiveness in Developmental Disabilities

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Abstract

Some individuals with developmental disabilities who reside in community group homes occasionally engage in low-frequency, but high-intensity, aggressive behavior. Over time, staff members assigned to manage the aggressive behaviors of these individuals are repeatedly injured, have to take time off work, become highly stressed, and eventually find alternative employment. In this study, we provided a 7-day intensive Mindfulness-Based Positive Behavior Support (MBPBS) training to staff from three group homes and measured the effects of such training on their use of verbal redirection and physical restraint, staff stress levels and turnover, staff and peer injuries, and benefit-cost analyses. When compared to baseline measures, results showed clinically and statistically significant reductions in the use of verbal redirection, complete disuse of physical restraints within a few weeks of MBPBS training, and cessation of staff and peer injuries. In addition, there was a significant reduction in staff stress and zero staff turnover. Finally, benefit-cost analysis showed substantial financial savings due to staff participation in the MBPBS program. This study adds to the extant research suggestive of mindfulness-based interventions being effective in reducing the use of restraints, decreasing staff stress, and providing financial savings to the service providers of individuals with developmental disabilities.

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Acknowledgments

Some of the data included in this paper were first presented by the authors at the Evidence-Based Practice in Disability Disciplines Conference in Flagstaff, AZ, October 2–3, 2014.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Medical College of Georgia, Georgia Regents University, 997 St. Sebastian Way, Augusta, GA, 30912, USA

    Nirbhay N. Singh

  2. Department of Neuroscience and Sense Organs, University of Bari, Bari, Italy

    Giulio E. Lancioni

  3. Department of Psychology, The College of Wooster, Wooster, OH, USA

    Bryan T. Karazsia

  4. WellStar School of Nursing, Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA, USA

    Rachel E. Myers

  5. School of Psychology, Massey University, Palmerston North, New Zealand

    Alan S. W. Winton

  6. Division of Developmental Disabilities, Department of Economic Security, Phoenix, AZ, USA

    Larry L. Latham

  7. Longwood University, Farmville, VA, USA

    Kristen Nugent

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  1. Nirbhay N. Singh
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  2. Giulio E. Lancioni
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  3. Bryan T. Karazsia
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  4. Rachel E. Myers
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  5. Alan S. W. Winton
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  6. Larry L. Latham
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  7. Kristen Nugent
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Correspondence to Nirbhay N. Singh.

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Singh, N.N., Lancioni, G.E., Karazsia, B.T. et al. Effects of Training Staff in MBPBS on the Use of Physical Restraints, Staff Stress and Turnover, Staff and Peer Injuries, and Cost Effectiveness in Developmental Disabilities. Mindfulness 6, 926–937 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-014-0369-0

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