Using Staff Ratings to Measure Client Compatibility

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the reliability and validity of a simple rating instrument for the selection of compatible groups based on relationship patterns to aid in the resettlement of people with learning disabilities from hospital to group homes. Staff ratings of compatibility were obtained for 57 residents from two specialist hospitals. Twenty-five of these residents participated in an observational study of compatibility. In general there was a high level of consistency in the ratings accorded by hospital staff to the relationships between residents on their ward. The results of the observation study, however, only provided limited support for the validity of the rating scale. The results of this study raise important questions about the nature of meaningful relationships between people with severe learning disabilities.