The Relationship of Staff Contact and Activity to the Stereotypy of Children with Multiple Disabilities

Abstract

This study was a descriptive analysis of the role that staff-resident interaction, content of activity, and presence of teaching staff played on the stereotypy of three children with severe mental retardation and dual sensory impairments. The study also examined several characteristics of the instructional setting, including time allocation to various activities and percentage of staff interaction relative to the type of activity. Results indicated that staff-resident interaction was associated with dramatic reductions in the stereotypy of each child, that the type of activity was associated with differential responses across children, and that the presence of certified teaching staff was associated with reductions in stereotypy. Results also indicated an extremely low level of staff-resident interaction despite adequate staff-resident ratio.