[Evaluation of the epilepsy basic training course IBF (Information, Counselling, Teaching) for staff members of services for people with disabilities].

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of the one-day epilepsy training course IBF (Information, Counselling, Teaching) for staff members who support people with disabilities. IBF is designed to teach basic knowledge in epilepsy and thereby to promote appropriate support for people with epilepsy and additional disabilities. IBF trainers are recruited from the Bethel Institute in Germany with its special focus on epilepsy. They realize IBF courses on requests of other German facilities for people with disabilities and use teaching material on CD-Rom developed by a working group of the Bethel Institute. METHODS: Data of 241 IBF participants and data of 197 staff members who took other courses than IBF could be compared twice. Two self-constructed questionnaires on (a) epilepsy knowledge and (b) epilepsy related concerns about caring had to be answered. Trainers administered the instruments at the beginning of the IBF courses (T1). Three months later (T2), the questionnaires were sent again to the IBF participants. The procedure for staff members of the control group was similar. RESULTS: Analyses of variance with repeated measurements showed that the IBF group - in contrast to the control group - improved significantly with respect to epilepsy knowledge and with respect to concerns about caring. The effect sizes of the IBF group changes on epilepsy knowledge had to be regarded as high, and improvements could be seen on most items of the scale. Effect sizes of the IBF group changes on concerns about caring had to be regarded as low, and improvements could only be seen on a few items of the scale. CONCLUSION: The essential finding of this study is that IBF proved to be efficient and that its most important goals are reached. Although a low responsiveness of the scale on epilepsy related concerns about caring cannot be excluded, it seems reasonable to discuss whether subjects that go beyond enhancing epilepsy knowledge should not be focussed even more in future IBF courses.