Biomedical subjects

Carolyn W Green

Publications and source records attributed to Carolyn W Green.

5 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2005

Evaluating and increasing in-home leisure activity among adults with severe disabilities in supported independent living.

Observations were conducted of the in-home leisure activity of three adults with severe disabilities in three supported independent living (SIL) sites. Results indicated a lack of leisure engagement. Potentially preferred, typical leisure activities were then identified by consulting lists of common leisure activities, surveying adults in surrounding communities, and interviewing support staff and family members. Next, in-home staffs were trained to provide the identified leisure activities in a repeated, paired-choice manner. Results indicated increased leisure engagement for each participant when staff provided leisure choices along with brief prompting. Social validation surveys suggested the choice procedures were well received by the staff and participants. Comparison observations of nine adults in other SIL arrangements in two states indicated the low levels of engagement initially observed in the three target homes may be quite common among people with severe disabilities in SIL. Results are discussed regarding use of behavioral procedures to evaluate and improve aspects of quality of life in SIL. Future research needs noted focus on how to impact staff performance and consumer lifestyles in residential settings in which supervision is infrequent.

Activities of Daily Living↗

PubMed2005

An enriched teaching program for reducing resistance and indices of unhappiness among individuals with profound multiple disabilities.

We evaluated an enriched teaching program for reducing resistance and indices of unhappiness displayed by 3 individuals with profound multiple disabilities during teaching sessions. The program involved presentation of preferred activities before, during, and after each teaching session, discontinuation of identified nonpreferred activities, and a brief break and preferred activity following occurrence of resistance. Implementation of the enriched teaching program was accompanied by reductions in resistance and indices of unhappiness for each participant. Results also indicated no negative impact of the program on participant performance of the teaching steps or staff teaching proficiency. Staff questionnaire responses provided a degree of social validation for the observed changes in that staff reported the participants liked the enriched teaching program more than the traditional teaching process. Directions for future research discussed include identifying critical aspects of the overall program and the potential relation between teaching proficiency and the program's enrichment effectiveness.

Abnormalities, Multiple↗

PubMed2003

An outcome management program for extending advances in choice research into choice opportunities for supported workers with severe multiple disabilities.

We evaluated an outcome management program for increasing choice opportunities provided by 2 job coaches for 5 supported workers with severe multiple disabilities in a community job. The program involved specifying and monitoring behavioral outcomes among workers and staff, training staff, and supportive and corrective feedback. Increased choice provision occurred for both job coaches across a 1-year period. Results indicate how outcome management can help translate advances in choice research into routine practice.

Adult↗

PubMed2002

Maintaining proficient supervisor performance with direct support personnel: an analysis of two management approaches.

A traditional management approach using indirect feedback was compared to an approach involving direct feedback for maintaining supervisory proficiency in observing and providing feedback to staff. Three supervisors participated in each condition. The first 3 supervisors then received direct feedback. Direct feedback was accompanied by high levels of performance relative to the indirect feedback protocol. The need for maintenance procedures with supervisors is discussed.

Administrative Personnel↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Evaluation of a shared-work program for reducing assistance provided to supported workers with severe multiple disabilities.

Concern has been expressed recently regarding the need to enhance the performance of individuals with highly significant disabilities in community-based, supported jobs. We evaluated a shared-work program for reducing job coach assistance provided to three workers with severe multiple disabilities in a publishing company. Following systematic observations of the assistance provided as each worker worked on entire job tasks, steps comprising the tasks were then re-assigned across workers. The re-assignment involved assigning each worker only those task steps for which the respective worker received the least amount of assistance (e.g., re-assigning steps that a worker could not complete due to physical disabilities), and ensuring the entire tasks were still completed by combining steps performed by all three workers. The shared-work program was accompanied by reductions in job coach assistance provided to each worker. Work productivity of the supported workers initially decreased but then increased to a level equivalent to the higher ranges of baseline productivity. These results suggested that the shared-work program appears to represent a viable means of enhancing supported work performance of people with severe multiple disabilities in some types of community jobs. Future research needs discussed focus on evaluating shared-work approaches with other jobs, and developing additional community work models specifically for people with highly significant disabilities.

Adult↗