Using the Community Resilience Model and Project ECHO to Build Resiliency in Direct Support Professionals: Protocol for a Longitudinal Survey.

Abstract

Background: Individuals with intellectual disabilities or autism spectrum disorder (ID/A) sometimes require supportive services from direct support professionals (DSPs). The supportive care provided to individuals with ID/A by DSPs can vary from assistance with daily living activities to navigating society. The COVID-19 pandemic not only exacerbated poor outcomes for individuals with ID/A but also for DSPs, who report experiencing burnout in the aftermath of the pandemic. DSPs are critical to providing much-needed support to individuals with ID/A.

Objective: The goal of this study is to evaluate the impact of the community resilience model on DSP burnout and neurodivergent client outcomes using the Project ECHO (Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes) telementoring platform as a dissemination tool.

Methods: This protocol leverages community resilience theory and telementoring through the Project ECHO model to foster resilience in DSPs and their neurodiverse client population. ECHO participants' resilience behaviors will be evaluated via surveys including the Connor Davison Resilience Scale and the WHO-5 Well-Being Index. These surveys will be administered preprogram, at the end of the 8-week ECHO program, and 90 days after the ECHO program's completion. Pre-post relationships will be assessed using generalized estimating equations. The main outcomes will be self-reported changes in knowledge, self-efficacy, and resilience.

Results: All ECHO program cohorts and follow-up data collection have concluded, with 131 survey participants. The project team is currently analyzing and interpreting the data. We anticipate having all data analyzed and interpreted by February 2025.

Conclusions: DSPs provide critical services to individuals with ID/A. By providing skills in resiliency via the ECHO model, participants will be able to apply resiliency to their own professional lives while fostering resilience within their neurodiverse client base, leading to increased positive outcomes for both groups.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/59913.