PROFESSIONAL CARERS' EXPERIENCES AND THE ROLE OF EMOTIONAL REGULATION WHEN FACED WITH CHALLENGING BEHAVIORS OF PEOPLE WITH INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
This article presents the experience of 120 professional carers working in Quebec with people with intellectual disabilities who may express challenging behaviors (CB). A descriptive analysis illustrates the amount of exposure and types of CB reported by the workers, as well as the perceived impacts. The results show that these carers have a psychologically demanding work that elicits strong reactions. Their level of emotional regulation (ER), a skill to better manage the emotions induced by a stressful event, was measured using the DERS questionnaire. Regression analysis showed that a higher level of ER is associated with less psychological distress. No link was found between the amount of exposure and psychological distress.