Proposed is a two year continuation of an ongoing study of impacts associated with the placement of nursing home residents in dementia Special Care Units (SCUs). The current study involves the collection of comprehensive resident and staff data from a sample of 50 residents in each of nine nursing homes with SCUs, and 30 residents in each of 9 homes without SCUs. Additionally, all staff having substantial contact with the designated residents are interviewed, and observations are conducted of resident and resident/staff interactions. Data are collected using a comprehensive measurement battery, including the common core data set mandated for use among the NIA Collaborative Dementia Special Care projects. Data are collected at two points in time, six months apart. As part of a supplement for under-represented minorities, pilot data also were collected dealing with the prevalence and immediate effects of cultural diversity and racial conflict. The preliminary analyses of these pilot data constitute the basis for the proposed project, which is to use the current samples to (a) obtain a third wave of current study data, and (b)concurrently obtain data from residents and staff dealing with the relationship between a variety of stressors, psychological distress, and job performance. Signal among these stressors is racial conflict. Applying a stress reduction model, the analyses of relationships between stressors and performance will include specific focus on the mediating or buffering effects of staff support activities or programs. In addition to providing the data necessary for the study of stressors, the third wave of resident data will enable the use of far more robust analytic techniques than would a simple Time I/Time II design. Thus, for example, it will be possible to apply growth curve analysis in the examination of possible non-linear relationships over time. Particularly in light of the culturally and racially mixed character of urban nursing homes, these analyses are expected to provide information valuable for program planning, particularly with respect to the staff support components of SCUs.
