STRESSORS, COPING STRATEGIES AND STRESS-RELATED OUTCOMES AMONG DIRECT-CARE STAFF IN STAFFED HOUSES FOR PEOPLE WITH LEARNING-DISABILITIES

Self-reported stressors, coping strategies and stress-related outcomes were explored among 68 direct-care staff working in two networks of s mall staffed houses for people with learning disabilities. The two net works tended to have lower rates of staff turnover, and staff tended t o be older, more qualified and more likely to have dependants, than st aff in UK community services reported in previous studies. Staff in Ne twork 2 rated several stressors as more stressful and reported themsel ves as experiencing greater general distress and work-related stress, than staff in Network 1. Multiple regressions revealed that: (1) stres sors relating to the emotional impact of the work, violent service use r behaviour and the use of a wishful thinking coping strategy were ass ociated with perceived work stress; (2) stressors relating to the conf lict of work with personal or family demands, and the use of a wishful thinking coping strategy, were associated with symptoms of general di stress; (3) perceived work stress, together with uncertainty concernin g job tasks and limited opportunities for personal advancement, were p erceived to have a high impact on work performance; (4) general distre ss, together with conflicts between work and personal or family demand s and violent service user behaviour, were perceived to have a high im pact on staff social life; (5) general distress, together with stresso rs relating to conflicts between work and personal or family demands a nd perceived deficiencies in other staff, were perceived to have a hig h impact on staff personal relationships. The organisational implicati ons of these findings are discussed.