Staff responses to behaviour that challenges: the role of knowledge, attributions, and emotion regulation style.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we explored the extent to which the knowledge and attributions of support staff predicted their reported helping behaviour in relation to people with an intellectual disability who displayed challenging behaviour (CB), and whether emotion regulation style moderated the relationship between attributions and this helping behaviour. METHOD: Participants (N = 107) completed self-report measures of knowledge of the meaning and management of CB, causal attributions and behavioural response to CB, and emotion regulation style. RESULTS: Knowledge and helpful attributions were significantly correlated with reported helping behaviour; however, in a regression analysis with both predictors, only knowledge significantly contributed to the variance. No moderating effect was found for emotion regulation styles on the relationship between attributions and reported helping behaviour. CONCLUSION: Knowledge was the only significant predictor of reported positive staff approaches in managing CB, giving some support for the provision of staff training aimed at increasing knowledge, rather than changing attributions.

A Case of West Nile Encephalitis: Neuroimaging Findings and Clinico-Radiological Mismatch.

West Nile Virus, an arthropod-borne RNA virus, may result in severe neurological disease. West Nile neuroinvasive disease is characterized by meningitis, encephalitis, and possible acute flaccid paralysis. Classically, signal intensity abnormalities on T2-weighted magnetic resonance images are associated with poor outcomes. Herein, we present a case of previous West Nile encephalitis with diffuse leukoencephalopathy on imaging that demonstrates a favorable clinical outcome with limited neurologic sequelae. A 53-year-old male presented to the hospital with one month of headaches, dizziness, generalized weakness, and a seizure. His initial neurologic exam was notable for wide-based gait and imbalance. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain demonstrated diffuse bilateral white matter signal hyperintensities without contrast enhancement, suggestive of leukoencephalopathy. His lumbar puncture revealed lymphocytic pleocytosis and infectious studies demonstrated positive West Nile Virus immunoglobulin G (IgG) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum with negative immunoglobulin M (IgM) in both CSF and serum, suggestive of previous infection. A diagnosis of sequelae of West Nile neuroinvasive disease was made. He was started on anti-seizure medications without further seizures. At his subsequent nine-month follow-up visit, he remained asymptomatic without weakness, headaches, or confusion. Repeat MRI demonstrated interval improvement of white matter signal change. This case report highlights that West Nile neuroinvasive disease may present with profound white matter changes on MRI with limited clinical symptoms and long-term neurologic sequelae. Further research is needed to identify imaging correlation with symptom severity in this disease.