Negative emotional reactions to challenging behaviour and staff burnout

Background Hastings, R. P. [American Journal on Mental Retardation (2002) Vol. 107, pp. 455-467] hypothesized that staff negative emotional reactions to challenging behaviour might accumulate over time to affect staff well-being. Only one previous study (Mitchell, G.& Hastings, R. P. [American Journal on Mental Retardation (2001) Vol. 106, pp. 448-459] has explored this relationship. The present analyses were designed to replicate these findings. Methods Data were analysed from two samples of staff. In study 1, 101 staff rated their typical emotional reactions to challenging behaviours experienced as a part of their work and completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI). In study 2, 99 staff rated their negative emotional reactions to written challenging behaviour vignettes and also completed the MBI. Results In both studies, significant positive correlations were found between negative emotional reactions to challenging behaviour and emotional exhaustion and depersonalization burnout but no association was found with personal accomplishment scores. Conclusions These findings replicate previous results, but cannot be used to support the putative causal relationship between emotional reactions to challenging behaviour and staff well-being. Clinical implications of a focus on staff emotional reactions to challenging behaviour are discussed.