The Use of Medication for Challenging Behaviors in People with Intellectual Disabilities: The Direct Care Providers’ Perspective

Shoumitro Deb; Bharati Limbu; Gemma L. Unwin; Tim Weaver

doi:10.1080/19315864.2023.2192691

The Use of Medication for Challenging Behaviors in People with Intellectual Disabilities: The Direct Care Providers’ Perspective

Shoumitro Deb^*, Bharati Limbu, Gemma L. Unwin, Tim Weaver

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

1 Citation (Scopus)

74 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Background: Overmedication of people with intellectual disabilities, particularly when psychotropic medications are used for challenging behavior (CB) in the absence of a psychiatric disorder, is a significant public health concern. Support staff play a pivotal role in influencing the prescribing process. Staff views and attitudes toward medication use for CB are therefore of paramount importance.

Method: We have conducted four focus groups involving support staff (n = 8), home managers (n = 5) and trainers (n = 3), two of which primarily explored participants’ experiences and views on using medication for CB and medication withdrawal.

Results: Some participants felt medication use was justified, but others saw that as a form of chemical restraint. Most agreed that polypharmacy of psychotropics might lead to side effects. Some acknowledged the lack of shared decision-making involving people with intellectual disabilities and their families. There was universal anxiety about withdrawing the medication.

Conclusions: All agreed on the need for more medication-related information.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	253-274
Number of pages	22
Journal	Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Volume	16
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/19315864.2023.2192691
Publication status	Published - 22 Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
BL is funded by the UK’s National Institute of Health and Care Research (NIHR) Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (grant PBPG-0817-20010). The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the National Health Service, the NIHR, or the Department of Health, UK. We thank all participants and their employing organisations. We also thank the Voluntary Organisations Disability Group (VODG) for publicising the project through their website. The Imperial Biomedical Research Centre Facility, which is funded by the NIHR, has provided support for the study.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Keywords

challenging behaviors
People with intellectual disabilities
service managers’ views
support staff’s views
the use of psychotropics
trainers’ views

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Psychiatry and Mental health

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1080/19315864.2023.2192691Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)

DebS2023UseFinal published version, 668 KBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs (CC BY-NC-ND)

Cite this

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The Use of Medication for Challenging Behaviors in People with Intellectual Disabilities: The Direct Care Providers’ Perspective

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

UN SDGs

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