TY - JOUR
T1 - Support staff’s perceptions of discontinuing antipsychotics in people with intellectual disabilities in residential care: A mixed-method study
AU - Kleijwegt, Bas
AU - Pruijssers, Addy
AU - de Jong-Bakker, Lydie
AU - de Haan, Koos
AU - van Os-Medendorp, Harmieke
AU - van Meijel, Berno
PY - 2019/7/1
Y1 - 2019/7/1
N2 - Background: Although there is little evidence on their efficacy regarding challenging behaviour, antipsychotics are the most used psychotropic drugs in residential intellectually disabled people. Discontinuation is possible for some residential clients with intellectual disabilities. This study aimed to gain insight into support staff's perceptions of discontinuing antipsychotics in residential clients with intellectual disabilities. Method: Four focus groups were conducted in this mixed-methods study, followed by a survey. Results: A large majority of support staff perceive antipsychotics to be effective in controlling challenging behaviour. Support staff regarded themselves as willing to contribute to the discontinuation of antipsychotics, but were more confident about achieving reductions. Conclusions: The attitude of the majority of support staff towards discontinuation provides a good basis for regularly reviewing antipsychotics use. A reduction plan should include preliminary steps, methods of monitoring and evaluating the process, and establishing measures for dealing with possible crises.
AB - Background: Although there is little evidence on their efficacy regarding challenging behaviour, antipsychotics are the most used psychotropic drugs in residential intellectually disabled people. Discontinuation is possible for some residential clients with intellectual disabilities. This study aimed to gain insight into support staff's perceptions of discontinuing antipsychotics in residential clients with intellectual disabilities. Method: Four focus groups were conducted in this mixed-methods study, followed by a survey. Results: A large majority of support staff perceive antipsychotics to be effective in controlling challenging behaviour. Support staff regarded themselves as willing to contribute to the discontinuation of antipsychotics, but were more confident about achieving reductions. Conclusions: The attitude of the majority of support staff towards discontinuation provides a good basis for regularly reviewing antipsychotics use. A reduction plan should include preliminary steps, methods of monitoring and evaluating the process, and establishing measures for dealing with possible crises.
KW - antipsychotics
KW - challenging behaviour
KW - intellectual disabilities
KW - mixed methods
KW - perceptions
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?partnerID=HzOxMe3b&scp=85066797638&origin=inward
UR - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/30790388
U2 - https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12577
DO - https://doi.org/10.1111/jar.12577
M3 - Article
C2 - 30790388
SN - 1360-2322
VL - 32
SP - 861
EP - 870
JO - JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
JF - JOURNAL OF APPLIED RESEARCH IN INTELLECTUAL DISABILITIES
IS - 4
ER -