Causes of and Alternatives to Medication for Behaviours That Challenge in People with Intellectual Disabilities: Direct Care Providers’ Perspectives

Shoumitro (Shoumi) Deb (), Bharati Limbu, Gemma L. Unwin and Tim Weaver
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Shoumitro (Shoumi) Deb: Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, 2nd Floor Commonwealth Building, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
Bharati Limbu: Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, 2nd Floor Commonwealth Building, Du Cane Road, London W12 0NN, UK
Gemma L. Unwin: School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, 52 Pritchatts Road, Room 314, Edgbaston, Birmingham B15 2TT, UK
Tim Weaver: Department of Health & Social Care, School of Health Social Care and Education, Middlesex University, London NW4 4BT, UK

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 16, 1-14

Abstract: Behaviours that challenge (BtC), such as aggression and self-injury, are manifested by many people with intellectual disabilities (ID). National and international guidelines recommend non-pharmacological psychosocial intervention before considering medication to address BtC. Support staff play a pivotal role in the prescription process. Using coproduction, we developed a training programme for support staff, called SPECTROM, to give them knowledge and empower them to question inappropriate prescriptions and ask for the discontinuation of medication if appropriate and instead look for ways to help people with ID when they are distressed without relying on medication. We have presented data from two focus groups that we conducted during the development of SPECTROM: one that included support staff, and another that had service managers and trainers. In these focus groups, we explored participants’ views on the use of medication to address BtC with a particular emphasis on the causes of and alternatives to medication for BtC. Along with the participants’ views, we have also presented how we have addressed these issues in the SPECTROM resources.

Keywords: people with intellectual disabilities; the causes of behaviours that challenge; alternatives to medication for behaviours that challenge; social care services; support staff; service/home managers; trainers (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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