Effectiveness of a Pain Assessment and Management Program for Respite Workers Supporting Children With Disabilities

Let's Talk About Pain: A Randomized Controlled Trial Testing the Effectiveness of a Pain Assessment and Management Training Program for Respite Workers Supporting Children With Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities

This study investigates the impact of pain training delivery for respite care providers who support children with developmental disabilities on (a) pain assessment and management-related knowledge, (b) participant self-rated perceptions of the feasibility, confidence and skill in pain assessment and management, and (c) strategy use. Half of the participants will receive the pain training, while half will receive the training about family-centered care, and be offered the pain training after completion of the follow-up.

Background Information: Everyday pain is common in children with intellectual/developmental disabilities (I/DD). Inadequately managed pain in this population is a common problem, and this is likely due to these children's inability to communicate pain effectively. Unfortunately, many of these children are unable to accurately self-report or effectively communicate the pain experience. Thus, caregivers are often responsible for assessing their pain. Research has focused on professionals and parents, but it is also common for children with I/DD to receive care from others including respite workers. The investigators recently found a difference between pain beliefs held by respite workers and individuals with little to no experience with this population. Specifically, respite workers believed that a significantly larger percentage of children with severe I/DD sensed less pain than typically developing children. This is contrary to research suggesting that children with I/DD have similar pain perception but communicate it differently (e.g., through idiosyncratic behaviours). Thus, it is possible that respite workers miss critical cues when children with I/DD are in pain. As such, the investigators have developed and successfully piloted a pain training program targeted to respite workers who support children with I/DD. This program demonstrated initial success in improving respite workers' pain-related knowledge, as well as their perceptions of the feasibility of and their own confidence and skill in pain assessment and management with this population of children.

Within a randomized control trial, the objectives of this study are to further test the effectiveness of the Let's Talk About Pain respite worker training program on respite workers' (a) pain-related knowledge, (b) self-rated perceptions of the feasibility of and their own confidence and skill in pain assessment and management, and (c) use of pain assessment and management strategies specific to children with I/DD in respite settings. Participants will complete questionnaires immediately before and after provision of a pain training (or control training). Approximately one month after the training, participants will complete these questionnaires for a third time and participate in a focus group regarding their pain assessment and management strategy use.

The long term objectives of this line of research are to: 1) increase pain assessment and management abilities of respite workers, and, consequently, 2) decrease levels of suffering and ill-managed pain in children with I/DD.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Over the age of 18
• Proficient in the English language
• Active respite worker who provides respite care to children (age 0 - 18) with developmental disabilities

Exclusion Criteria:

• n/a