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Staff training on formulation and fire-setting in people with intellectual disabilities

Amy Tostevin (The Centre for Forensic and Family Psychology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom)
Abdul Shaikh (Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Nottingham, United Kingdom)

Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities

ISSN: 2044-1282

Article publication date: 2 November 2015

396

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present the development and evaluation of an original training package for staff members on fire-setting in people with intellectual disabilities. It also included training on functional analysis as a model of formulating the fire-setting behaviour. The quality and effectiveness of the training was assessed and is reported in this paper.

Design/methodology/approach

The training was delivered on a ward for people with intellectual disabilities in a UK NHS Trust Low Secure Hospital and was attended by various members of the multidisciplinary team for the ward. The workshop consisted of four modules: theoretical background of fire-setting, the functional analysis model of fire-setting formulation, offence-paralleling behaviours in secure settings and a case study practice. Level of self-reported understanding of the various aspects of the training was measured by an evaluation questionnaire completed pre and post training.

Findings

The results of this study showed that following the training there was a significant increase in self-reported understanding of staff members. The participants reported an increase in understanding of fire-setting, functional analysis and formulation of individuals with an intellectual disability and history of fire-setting.

Originality/value

This study highlights the potential for staff training to increase awareness of fire-setting behaviours by people with intellectual disabilities. The staff training in formulation would encourage their involvement in development of team formulations and may subsequently increase their understanding of such individuals.

Keywords

Citation

Tostevin, A. and Shaikh, A. (2015), "Staff training on formulation and fire-setting in people with intellectual disabilities", Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 9 No. 6, pp. 371-380. https://doi.org/10.1108/AMHID-05-2015-0021

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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