In this study, we are interested in piloting an adapted version of the DIALOG scale and intervention (aDIALOG+) for people with learning disability. The adapted DIALOG scale and intervention will be piloted with 5 clinicians (any background e.g. nurse, occupational therapist, psychiatrist, social worker) from community learning disability teams and 5 care workers who will be recruited via links with the community learning disability teams.

The clinicians and care workers will be asked to administer the aDIALOG+ intervention using the app (at least once) to two service users each (20 service users in total). We will invite the five clinicians, five care workers and at least ten service users to take part in separate stakeholder focus groups or interviews to obtain feedback on what aspects of the intervention (including the DIALOG scale, app, training and manual) that worked well or did not work well and suggestions for improvement.

The recordings of the focus groups/interviews will be analysed to identify relevant themes relating to aspects of the intervention that did not work well and require further modifications, which will inform changes to the intervention. Clinicians and care workers will also be asked to complete a questionnaire for assessing intervention implementation processes from the perspective of professionals directly involved. 

Who can take part?

Service users will be eligible to take part if they are aged 18 or over, have mild or moderate learning disability based on service records / clinical notes, have a current history of behaviour that challenges (at least one incident of self-injurious behaviour, physical or verbal aggression, anger / frustration outbursts, or damage to property in the last 3 months), are living in any setting including the family home and supported living/ residential home, and can provide informed verbal or written consent.

Clinicians will be eligible to take part if they are aged 18 or over, are currently working within a community learning disability service, intensive support team or in a local authority or social care organisation for people with learning disability, are from any profession (e.g. psychology, nursing, speech and language therapy, psychiatry, social work) with a minimum of six months experience working with people with learning disability, and consent to participate.

Care workers will be eligible to take part if they are aged 18 or over, have worked in the care home for at least three months, provide at least one day of support per week to service users, and consent to participate.

When is it running?

The piloting study started in January 2026 and is expected to run for 4 months.