Experiences and needs of direct support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A thematic analysis

P. J. C. M. Embregts; T. Tournier; N. Frielink

doi:10.1111/jar.12812

Experiences and needs of direct support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A thematic analysis

P. J. C. M. Embregts^*
, T. Tournier
, N. Frielink

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

52 Citations (Scopus)

264 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background
The present study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the initial stage of the COVID‐19 lockdown in the Netherlands.

Method
Overall, eleven direct support staff were recruited from five intellectual disability services to participate in this descriptive qualitative study. They recorded 34 audio messages during the considered period. Thematic analysis was used to analyse these audio recordings.

Results
Four themes emerged: (1) Emotional impact, which pertained to various emotions they experienced in their work; (2) Cognitive impact, which referred to challenges and changes they had undergone in their work; (3) Practical impact, which centred on the practical impact of the pandemic on their work; and (4) Professional impact, which concerned their experiences with other professionals.

Conclusions
This study provides valuable insights into the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the COVID‐19 pandemic, which, in turn, can help inform practice in preparation for a second wave of COVID‐19 or another future pandemic.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	480-490
Journal	Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Volume	34
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12812
Publication status	Published - 2021

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

CARE
COVID-19
MENTAL-HEALTH
PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT
corona
experiences of direct support staff
intellectual disability

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10.1111/jar.12812Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

Tranzo_Experiences and needs of direct support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemicFinal published version, 391 KBLicence: CC BY-NC-ND

Cite this

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title = "Experiences and needs of direct support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A thematic analysis",

abstract = "Background The present study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the initial stage of the COVID‐19 lockdown in the Netherlands. Method Overall, eleven direct support staff were recruited from five intellectual disability services to participate in this descriptive qualitative study. They recorded 34 audio messages during the considered period. Thematic analysis was used to analyse these audio recordings. Results Four themes emerged: (1) Emotional impact, which pertained to various emotions they experienced in their work; (2) Cognitive impact, which referred to challenges and changes they had undergone in their work; (3) Practical impact, which centred on the practical impact of the pandemic on their work; and (4) Professional impact, which concerned their experiences with other professionals. Conclusions This study provides valuable insights into the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the COVID‐19 pandemic, which, in turn, can help inform practice in preparation for a second wave of COVID‐19 or another future pandemic.",

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year = "2021",

doi = "10.1111/jar.12812",

language = "English",

volume = "34",

pages = "480--490",

journal = "Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities",

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Experiences and needs of direct support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A thematic analysis. / Embregts, P. J. C. M.; Tournier, T.; Frielink, N.
In: Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, Vol. 34, No. 2, 2021, p. 480-490.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Experiences and needs of direct support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic

T2 - A thematic analysis

AU - Embregts, P. J. C. M.

AU - Tournier, T.

AU - Frielink, N.

PY - 2021

Y1 - 2021

N2 - Background The present study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the initial stage of the COVID‐19 lockdown in the Netherlands. Method Overall, eleven direct support staff were recruited from five intellectual disability services to participate in this descriptive qualitative study. They recorded 34 audio messages during the considered period. Thematic analysis was used to analyse these audio recordings. Results Four themes emerged: (1) Emotional impact, which pertained to various emotions they experienced in their work; (2) Cognitive impact, which referred to challenges and changes they had undergone in their work; (3) Practical impact, which centred on the practical impact of the pandemic on their work; and (4) Professional impact, which concerned their experiences with other professionals. Conclusions This study provides valuable insights into the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the COVID‐19 pandemic, which, in turn, can help inform practice in preparation for a second wave of COVID‐19 or another future pandemic.

AB - Background The present study aimed to explore the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the initial stage of the COVID‐19 lockdown in the Netherlands. Method Overall, eleven direct support staff were recruited from five intellectual disability services to participate in this descriptive qualitative study. They recorded 34 audio messages during the considered period. Thematic analysis was used to analyse these audio recordings. Results Four themes emerged: (1) Emotional impact, which pertained to various emotions they experienced in their work; (2) Cognitive impact, which referred to challenges and changes they had undergone in their work; (3) Practical impact, which centred on the practical impact of the pandemic on their work; and (4) Professional impact, which concerned their experiences with other professionals. Conclusions This study provides valuable insights into the experiences and needs of direct support staff during the COVID‐19 pandemic, which, in turn, can help inform practice in preparation for a second wave of COVID‐19 or another future pandemic.

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KW - COVID-19

KW - MENTAL-HEALTH

KW - PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT

KW - corona

KW - experiences of direct support staff

KW - intellectual disability

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DO - 10.1111/jar.12812

M3 - Article

C2 - 32954585

SN - 1360-2322

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JO - Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities

JF - Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities

IS - 2

ER -

Experiences and needs of direct support staff working with people with intellectual disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic: A thematic analysis

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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