Staff attitudes toward family involvement in residential treatment centers for children.

OBJECTIVES

The goals of this study were to determine the extent of staff members' support for family involvement in residential treatment centers for children, to examine staff members' beliefs about families and the consequences of their involvement, and to examine the relationship between staff members' support of family involvement and their characteristics, experiences, and beliefs.

METHODS

A total of 267 staff members at three residential treatment centers for children with psychiatric disorders or mental retardation or both responded to a survey about their experiences with families, beliefs about families, and support for family involvement.

RESULTS

Staff members were very supportive of greater family involvement, although they showed more support for families in the role of service recipients than as decision makers. However, staff members did not believe in family reunification as a goal for the majority of children served. The strongest predictors of staff support for family involvement were positive general beliefs about clients' families, the perception that family involvement was advantageous, and the endorsement of fewer reasons to discourage family involvement.

CONCLUSIONS

Residential programs seeking to create a more receptive climate for families should help staff members establish positive attitudes about the families they serve and about families' potential role in successful treatment.