Externaliserend Probleemgedrag bij Cliënten met een Licht Verstandelijke Beperking in Zorg binnen Sherpa en Amerpoort: prevalentie en gerelateerde factoren Externalizing problem behaviours in the population of clients with mild to borderline mental disabilities: prevalence and related factors.

Abstract

Introduction. Externalizing problem behaviour, specifically aggression and rule-breaking behaviour (RBB), are common for people with intellectual disabilities. It forms a problem for the clients themselves (e.g. judicial intervention), the social workers (e.g. increased level of stress) and the society (e.g. high costs for care). Aim. Gaining more insight into the prevalence of and factors related to aggression and RBB for adults with mild to borderline intellectual disabilities in care with Sherpa and Amerpoort. Method. Based on the ABCL screening questionnaire, completed by social workers, various factors were screened. A total of 78 questionnaires were completed. Results. The results show a prevalence of 14.1% for aggression and 32.1% for RBB. Significantly related factors are almost similar, with higher levels of depression, anxiety, somatic complaints, thought problems and attention problems significantly related to more aggression/ROG. Autism is significantly negatively associated with RBB. The significantly associated factors were jointly included in a multiple regression analysis, which indicates depression and thought problems as significantly associated factors with aggression and attention problems and autism with RBB. Conclusion. Based on the high prevalence rates, chances are high that social workers will be confronted with aggression and RBB. Knowledge of both problematic behaviours is therefore important for offering good support in this population. The related actors show that aggression / ROG may be a manifestation, cause or consequence of depressive and / or anxious feelings, somatic complaints and attention problems. These factors therefore ask for explicit attention within the diagnostic process for behavioural problems, treatment and interventions.