Date of Award
2002
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
John A. Morgan, Jr
Keywords
agitated, alternate ways, behavior, clients, committee, criteria, curriculum, decision making, desensitization, development, formative committee, Gracewood State School and Hospital, inappropriate behavior, injuries, intervention, literature review, mentally retarded clients, negative behavior, planning seminar, procedures, product validation, program, research questions, revisions, self-injurious behavior, staff training, study, summative committee, techniques, training, validation
Abstract
The purpose of the study was to develop a desensitization program for the mentally retarded clients at Gracewood State School and Hospital. The program was developed to teach the mentally retarded clients alternate ways of expending negative behavior when they become agitated. Due to increased injuries to clients who displayed self-injurious behavior, this program provides techniques for reducing self-injurious behavior.
The research questions were: what is the appropriate design of a desensitization program at Gracewood State School and Hospital? And what should be included in a desensitization program for mentally retarded clients at Gracewood State School and Hospital?
The procedures began with a literature review that examined intervention and techniques for a desensitization program, and the curriculum and planning seminar. Criteria were developed to validate development of the desensitization program. A rough draft of the program was presented to a formative committee, revised, and then presented to a
summative committee for product validation. The requests of the study described the decision making process inherent in the program development. Conclusions were that an appropriate desensitization program for the mentally retarded could be developed using the procedures outlined in this project. The use of the formative and summative committees, as well as validation of the criteria, were critical for development of the program. It was recommended that the desensitization program be used to help reduce inappropriate behavior of the mentally retarded clients, and to assist staff during training. It was further suggested that the desensitization program be evaluated semi-annually to ascertain what, if any changes are needed.