Emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility are key influences in enabling staff to uphold human rights values for people living with dementia in care homes

Butcher, Lesley, Vougioukalou, Sofia ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0788-0373 and Clouston, Teena 2025. Emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility are key influences in enabling staff to uphold human rights values for people living with dementia in care homes. Dementia: The International Journal of Social Research and Practice 10.1177/14713012251392304

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Abstract

Background: People with dementia experience discrimination and treatment that contravenes their human rights in health and social care settings. Human Rights law is complex, and real-world application can be confusing. Researchers used the FREDA (Fairness, Respect, Equality, Dignity, Autonomy) framework to provide context to focus group discussions that explored the research question: ‘What are the barriers and facilitators to upholding human rights for people living with dementia in care homes?’. Method: Seven focus groups of 90 minutes were conducted. Vignettes and open questions guided discussion. Groups consisted of 7-9 people of heterogenous backgrounds including care home staff (N = 35 from 20 care homes), people with dementia (N = 5), family members of someone with dementia (N = 5), and student nurses (N = 7). Thematic analysis was completed using the Braun and Clarke (2006) inaugural framework with the 6-phase analytical process and reflexive approach. Results: Three overall themes were elicited through this study, including: 1. Personal/individual attributes including subthemes: emotional intelligence, cognitive flexibility and education & experience. 2. Organisational culture including subthemes: care home ethos, organisational flexibility, and staff morale. 3. External influences including subthemes: family and visitors, and social care funding and support. The largest barrier to supporting human rights principles reflected care home ethos, followed by organisational flexibility. The greatest facilitator was emotional intelligence, then cognitive flexibility. Conclusions: This study responds to some of the recommendations from previous research that considered Human Rights approaches to people living with dementia in care homes. It addresses the specific suggestion to identify staff attitudes and understandings that might translate to meaningful enhancements in care relating to FREDA principles of human rights. This is the first study to determine that emotional intelligence and cognitive flexibility are key influences in enabling care home staff to uphold values of human rights for people living with dementia in homes.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Healthcare Sciences Schools > Medicine Research Institutes & Centres > Centre for Trials Research (CNTRR)
Publisher:	SAGE Publications
ISSN:	1471-3012
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	1 December 2025
Date of Acceptance:	10 October 2025
Last Modified:	01 Dec 2025 12:30
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/182766

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