The Relationship Between Communication and Quality of Person Centred Active Support

Aim: Adults with severe intellectual disability have complex communication profiles, which can impact on staff use of Person Centred Active Support(PCAS). The aim was to explore the relationship between quality of PCAS and communication in group homes participating in a large Australian study.
Method: Data from 95 service users (SU) with severe intellectual disability(scoring < 151 on the Short Adaptive Behavior Scale), aged 18–67 years(mean = 38.87) were observed to have either access (n = 42) or no access (n = 53)to effective means of communication. Their data were analysed according to measures of quality of PCAS staff practice and SU engagement.
Results: There was a moderate association between access to communication and each of quality of PCAS (eta = 0.46) and SU engagement (eta = 0.39). Compared to SU with access to effective communication, those without access were 7.47 times less likely to experience high quality PCAS and 3.9 times less likely to be engaged in activities more than 50% of the time during observations.
Conclusion: Staff experience difficulties in using PCAS in working with SU who lack access to appropriate communication methods.