The study investigated the person-ality characteristics of advocates who were members of a citizen advocacy programme. The advocates were found to be a group of people who were not identified by extreme personality charac-teristics, but rather their profile was one of average consistency. Three character- istics were identified that relate to main- tenance of advocacy relationships, as well-being, flexibility and common sense.
(1992). INSERVICE TRAINING IN COLLABORATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING AND GOAL SETTING FOR SPECIAL EDUCATION TEACHER CONSULTANTS WORKING WITH PROFOUNDLY IMPAIRED PERSONS. The British Journal of Mental Subnormality: Vol. 38, No. 75, pp. 94-113.
Described the vocational situations of 99 Ss with severe learning difficulties (aged 16–24 yrs) who were either living at home with carers or in small living situations of 6 or fewer people. Few people were found in ordinary (as opposed to specialist, educational, or vocational) settings. Of school-aged children, 73% were receiving their education in a special school. The majority of Ss (aged 19–21 yrs) attended an Adult Training Center (ATC) part or full time, and 12% were in some form of employment. 80% of Ss aged 22–24 yrs attended ATCs, and no one was in any form of employment activity. Respondents indicated a high level of dissatisfaction with the vocational services currently offered.
Staff in community-based homes for adults with developmental disabilities often lack the expertise to develop and implement quality written development policies or Individualized Habilitation Plans (IHPs) as they are known in the United States of America. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effective- ness of a technical assistance model de-signed to teach staff to use existing materials for developing higher quality IHPs. The materials staff were taught to use consisted of: (a) an assessment inven- tory to assist in identifying adaptive behaviour goals, (b) a standardized for-mat for writing measurable and observ-able data-based goals and objectives, and (c) graphic data displays for monitoring the effectiveness of intervention proce-dures. The IHPs of six adults with intel-lectual disabilities were rated along 11 dimensions by two independent observ-ers prior to and after staff had been taught to use the materials. After techni-cal assistance had been provided, the rated quality of each 1HP improved. In addition, the data-based approach was associated with more consistent evalu-ation of each learnerࢫs progress. The technical assistance model appeared to be effective In improvimg the quality of IHPs.
(1991). ASCORBIC ACID STATUS IN INSTITUTIONALIZED AND NON INSTITUTIONALIZED MENTALLY RETARDED PEOPLE. The British Journal of Mental Subnormality: Vol. 37, No. 72, pp. 47-51.
