Prevalence of violence and its relation to caregivers' demographics and emotional reactions: an explorative study of caregivers working in group homes for persons with learning disabilities.

The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of violence directed towards caregivers working in group homes for persons with learning disabilities, and to examine the relation between violent incidents and caregivers' demographics such as gender, age, years in service, years at the present workplace and education, as well as emotional reactions to violence expressed by the caregivers. A questionnaire was distributed to all caregivers, i.e. Registered Nurses, assistant nurses and nurse's aides, working in group homes for persons with learning disabilities. The results showed that 31% of the caregivers (n = 120) had been exposed to violence during the preceding year with physical violence being the most common type of violence. All categories of caregivers were exposed to violence and emotional reactions were common. Weak relations were found between reported exposure to violence and various demographics among caregivers, such as age and education. Daytime work was the only independent factor in a regression model predicting violence towards the caregivers. Feelings of powerlessness, insufficiency and anger were the most frequently reported emotional reactions elicited by violent situations.