“An understanding, a way of life”: An exploration of learning disability professionals’ experiences of compassion

Abstract

Accessible summary Compassion is described as a sensitivity to suffering in oneself and others, with an intent to alleviate and prevent it (Gilbert, Advances in Psychiatric Treatment, 2009, 15, 199). A population within health care that has limited research on compassionate care is that of learning disabilities. The current study aimed to explore the experiences of compassion of professionals within learning disability services. Attention was given to the flow of compassion between professionals and service users, as well as the growth of compassion, over time. The findings suggested that compassion is difficult to foster in learning disability services that also value time‐pressured, target‐driven outputs. More needs to be done to support services to encourage compassion in care, for example by considering candidates’ compassion at recruitment and through supportive supervision and group reflection, for both people with learning disabilities and the healthcare professionals employed. Abstract BackgroundCompassion is one of the six core principles that the NHS means to promote within health care. Research concerning compassion within learning disability services is scarce; therefore, the current study aimed to explore the experiences of compassion of professionals within learning disability services. Materials and MethodsTwelve professionals from learning disability services completed a quantitative measure of professional quality of life and answered a series of qualitative questions regarding their experiences of compassion, in either an online survey or interview. ResultsNarrative analysis was used to interpret participants’ experiences of compassion. Three chapters were generated based on thematic and linguistic connections. In chapter 1, participants explored their compassionate identities. In chapter 2, participants detailed the flow of compassion, experienced interpersonally and intrapersonally. In chapter 3, participants described their compassionate growth, owing to significant life events over time. ConclusionsRecommendations for improving compassionate care have been made, including encouraging self‐compassion for professionals through training screening for compassion during recruitment and including people with learning disabilities on interview panels.

Compassion in healthcare: an updated scoping review of the literature

“…Eighteen studies highlighted HCP conceptualizations of compassion and compassionate behaviours [ 45 , 77 , 79 , 81 – 84 , 86 – 92 , 95 , 98 , 101 , 102 ]. Similar to patients, HCPs recognized compassion as involving an inner desire to want to relieve one’s suffering [ 45 , 79 , 87 ] and as a response based on sensitivity to patients’ preferences [ 90 ].…”

“…Eighteen studies highlighted HCP conceptualizations of compassion and compassionate behaviours [ 45 , 77 , 79 , 81 – 84 , 86 – 92 , 95 , 98 , 101 , 102 ]. Similar to patients, HCPs recognized compassion as involving an inner desire to want to relieve one’s suffering [ 45 , 79 , 87 ] and as a response based on sensitivity to patients’ preferences [ 90 ]. Sinclair et al (2018) generated a HCP model of compassion, in which HCPs defined compassion as a “virtuous and intentional response to know a person, to discern their needs and ameliorate their suffering through relational understanding and action” (p. 5) [ 45 ].…”

“…Patients and HCPs both recognized the intrinsic qualities or virtues of individual HCPs to be integral to providing compassion, some of which included virtues of love, kindness, genuineness, consideration, understanding, and wisdom [ 6 , 44 , 45 , 50 , 68 , 73 , 77 , 79 , 80 , 82 , 84 , 85 , 88 , 90 , 94 , 95 , 98 , 101 , 102 , 106 , 109 – 112 ] (Table 3 ). While various participants in a study by Kneafsey et al (2015) described compassion as an innate emotion and a part of one’s personality at birth [ 94 , 95 ], other studies recognized that past experiences also shape one’s ability to be compassionate [ 76 , 80 , 85 ].…”

Including people with intellectual disabilities in the development of their own positive behaviour support plans

“…Proxy respondents, including families and care staff, were often consulted to save time. This has been found elsewhere, too, as workplace pressures were identified as a barrier to delivering compassionate care to people with intellectual disabilities (Brennan et al, 2020). One way to overcome this perceived time pressure in community-based care is through earlier specialist intervention.…”

Change processes within team formulations in intellectual disabilities services: what do multi-disciplinary staff find helpful?

“…Placing the person within their individual history and ensuring a shared understanding of important factors such as communication skills both creates a more holistic view of the person and their needs that can inform the MDT processes and work of individual professions within the MDT. In an exploratory study by Brennan et al (2020), health-care professionals report that having a better understanding of trauma experienced by people with intellectual disabilities has helped those professionals to become more compassionate within their work.…”