Challenging Behaviors in Nursing Homes: Impact of Staff Training on Laypeople's Perceptions of Staff Competence

Challenging behaviors of residents with dementia represent a major concern in nursing homes (NHs). Although various studies have investigated the effects of staff training in challenging behavior management, few have explored their impact on laypeople's perceptions. However, NH professionals routinely interact with laypeople, such as current and prospective residents and their families, volunteers, and community partners. The current study examined the effect of person-centered staff training on naïve individuals' perceptions of staff competence.

Twenty-two NH professionals completed person-centered care training in challenging behavior management and responded to a clinical vignette before and after training. Their responses were evaluated by 59 naïve assessors for relevance, confidence, and competence. In addition, two trained assessors were recruited to explore whether their informed evaluations corroborated naïve assessors' impressions.

Relevance, confidence, and competence improved significantly according to naïve and trained assessors. NH professionals also reported feeling more competent.

Multiple measures indicate improved staff performance following training. Future studies should examine how laypeople's perceptions of staff competence influence their experiences in NHs and impact NH attractiveness.