Exploring How Known-Answer Questions Are Used in Conversations About Funerals Between People With Learning Disabilities and Support Staff

Background: People with learning disabilities should be involved in conversations around funerals. Conversation-starter pictures were developed to support funeral conversations between people with a learning disability and support staff. How this resource is used in practice and how staff asks questions about the funeral pictures need exploration. This study explored how known-answer questions were posed and pursued when people with learning disabilities and support staff talk about funeral pictures. Methods: Seven sessions with people with learning disabilities and support staff using funeral resources from an end-of-life care planning toolkit were video-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using Conversation Analysis. Known-answer questions were identified and analysed in two sessions involving the ‘Let's Talk About Funerals’ resource. Findings: Staff asked known-answer questions where the recipient should provide a ‘correct’ answer. Questions were initially open, not indicating that a specific answer was needed. Staff pursued answers through follow-up questions targeting funeral terms and by minimally acknowledging the proposed responses. This led to missed opportunities to elaborate on these responses. Conclusions: Support staff should be mindful about pursuing answers as it may close the conversation and not allow for exploration of the perspective of the person with a learning disability.