Staff Knowledge about Symptoms of Mental Health Problems in People with Learning Disabilities

The present study examined the knowledge of 116 health and social care staff working in learning disability services about the symptoms of mental health problems in this client group, using the Mini PAS-ADD as a comparator. Seventy-one percent of participants currently supported a client with mental health problems and learning disabilities; however, only 47 percent had received any training in this area. The health staff scored significantly higher than the residential and day care staff in relation to knowledge of symptoms for anxiety, depression and psychosis, but overall levels were low for all three groups. Those individuals who had received training in the area had significantly greater knowledge about symptoms, and higher confidence levels in supporting this client group, than those who had not. The staff also reported a range of behavioural symptoms, which were not included in the Mini PAS-ADD. Implications of the study are discussed.