AN INSTRUMENT FOR MEASURING STAFFS KNOWLEDGE OF BEHAVIOR MANAGEMENT PRINCIPLES (KBMQ) AS APPLIED TO GEROPSYCHIATRIC CLIENTS IN LONG-TERM-CARE SETTINGS

Direct-care staff in long-term care institutions for the elderly are r esponsible for implementing behavioral treatment programs for an incre asing number of patients with behavioral and psychiatric problems. Bec ause the quality of life for these patients is a function of the quali ty of care provided, maximizing staffs behavioral competencies could p otentially improve patients' quality of life. Behavioral competence re quires an understanding of behavioral principles. To assess direct-car e staffs knowledge of behavioral principles as applied to geropsychiat ric settings the KBMQ, a 30-item multiple choice instrument, was desig ned. The psychometric properties were tested with 203 staff. Results s uggest that the instrument is reliable and valid. Potential uses and l imitations are discussed. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.