Effects of staff management on the quality of residential care for mentally retarded individuals.

Effects of two interventions on the quality of residential care for severely and profoundly mentally retarded individuals were assessed. Four living groups (N = 39 residents) were involved. Effects of assigning one extra staff member on staff's distribution of activities were evaluated as were effects of assigning extra tasks (including organizing daily staff meetings, providing feedback, and prompting self-recording) to the extra staff member on staff's distribution of activities, on staff's initiatives towards residents, and on residents' behavior. Results showed that assigning one extra staff member to living groups did not produce any change in staff's distribution of activities. Assigning extra tasks to the extra staff member, however, produced significant changes in the direction of more time spent on training residents. Also, several changes in staff's initiatives towards residents were recorded, whereas few changes in resident behavior were found.