Contextual factors associated with implementing Active Support in community group homes in the United States: A qualitative investigation

Although numerous studies in the U.K. and Australia have shown that Active Support (AS) is an effective intervention in increasing staff assistance and engagement for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) who live in small community residential settings, studies in Taiwan and the U.S. did not replicate these results. The mixed findings may be due to the unique challenges faced by small community group homes serving people with disabilities from different countries. The purpose of this qualitative study was to describe the contextual factors for implementing AS in the U.S. Interviews were conducted with DSPs, supervisors, managers, and university AS trainers. A focus group was conducted with directors and managers from organizations that implemented AS in the U.S. This study revealed several challenges to AS implementation, including the lack of leadership support, lack of buy-in, and high staff turnover rate. Despite these difficulties, study participants have identified positive impacts of AS on both DSPs and people with disabilities. Implications of these findings are discussed.