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The Leros PIKPA Asylum Deinstitutionalization and Rehabilitation Project

A follow-up study on care staff fears and attitudes

Department of Child Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Greece

Stavroula P. Diareme

Department of Child Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Greece

Gerasimos Kolaitis

Department of Child Psychiatry, Athens University Medical School, Greece

This is a three-year follow-up study on the results from the Deinstitutionalization Project of the Leros PIKPA asylum regarding job-related fears of care staff of the institution as well as their attitudes towards people with learning disabilities. We expected that changes in staff would occur in a way congruent with previously published findings indicating that after a year of intervention staff became less worried about residents’ aggression and their own personal health, and understood better residents’ individual differences and need for non-custodial care. Care staff of the institution responded to a number of ‘fear statements’, and to an attitude questionnaire after a three-year intervention including several forms of training, support and sensitivity groups. Qualitative observations of staff behaviour were also examined. Data analyses showed that staff fears of expression of aggression in the institution decreased, whereas fears regarding their own aggression increased. Staff worries about their personal health decreased progressively from baseline assessment. Comparisons in staff attitudes indicated that staff continued to move away from the idea of custodial segregation of people with learning disabilities. Observational data showed improvements in staff management practices and interactions with residents. Results are discussed within the frame of particular Greek socio-cultural factors.

Key Words: deinstitutionalization • learning disabilities • staff attitudes • staff fears

Journal of Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 4, No. 4, 281-292 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/146900470000400402


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