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Brief report: a study of the knowledge that people with intellectual disabilities have of their prescribed medication
- Authors:
- ARSCOTT K., KROESE B. Stenfert, DAGNAN D.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 13(2), 2000, pp.90-99.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
People with intellectual disability (ID) are frequently prescribed medication for psychiatric and medical conditions. A questionnaire was administered to 30 people with ID to ascertain the amount of knowledge that they had of their prescribed medication. The questions which appeared to be the most difficult to answer concerned side-effects of medication, alternatives to medication and other medications which should not be taken in conjunction with the prescribed medication. The findings are discussed.
CFT & people with intellectual disabilities
- Authors:
- HARDIMAN Mark, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Advances in Mental Health and Intellectual Disabilities, 12(1), 2018, pp.44-56.
- Publisher:
- Emerald
Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to assess the effects of compassion-focussed therapy (CFT) on anxiety in a small sample of adults with intellectual disability. Design/methodology/approach: A mixed-methods design was employed. Participants (n=3) completed questionnaire measures of anxiety and self-compassion on three occasions: pre-intervention, post-intervention and, at three months follow-up. Post-intervention, they also took part in recorded interviews that were analysed using interpretive phenomenological analysis. Findings were then synthesised to develop a comprehensive understanding of their overall experience. Findings: Final data synthesis revealed five themes: participant anxiety decreased (reliable for all participants); the faulty self; improved positive compassionate attitudes; increased sense of common humanity; and mindful distraction techniques. Research limitations/implications: This research paper offers in-depth analysis of three participants’ experiences rather than reporting in less detail about a larger number of participants. The self-compassion scale required considerable support and reasonable adaptation to be used with these clients. Originality/value: Only two other studies have explored the use of CFT with people with intellectual disabilities. (Publisher abstract)
Attitudes of healthcare staff in the treatment of children and adolescents with intellectual disability: a brief report
- Author:
- ONG Natalie
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Intellectual and Developmental Disability, 42(3), 2017, pp.295-300.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
Background: Children with an intellectual disability (ID) have complex health needs that extend beyond the expected cognitive deficits, affecting a myriad of developmental domains. These children frequently receive inadequate health care such that their needs remain poorly managed. Methods: Staff from the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network (N = 160) completed a survey on attitudes, experiences, and training satisfaction when working with patients with ID. The 48-question needs analysis survey was distributed electronically to staff from a variety of disciplines and experience levels. Results: Although staff considered themselves broadly competent in caring for children with ID, they were less confident in specific skills, such as managing associated challenging behaviours in the clinic. As confidence in skills such as these decreased, the desire for further training increased. (Publisher abstract)
Children with developmental disabilities and sleep problems: parental beliefs and treatment acceptability
- Author:
- KEENAN Ruth A
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 20(5), September 2007, pp.45-465.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
This exploratory study investigated the relationships between illness beliefs and treatment acceptability among parents of children with a developmental disability living at home who had sleep onset or maintenance problems. A within-subject correlational design was employed. The parents of 58 children each completed questionnaires assessing their beliefs and attributions towards the sleep problem and the acceptability of two common treatments (behavioural and melatonin). Parents believed sleep problems to be chronic, to have negative consequences, yet to be potentially curable/controllable. They rated behavioural treatment and melatonin similarly in terms of acceptability. Behavioural treatment acceptability was related to how long parents believed the sleep problem would last and to a number of causal attributions. The acceptability of melatonin was related to how severe the consequences of the sleep problem were believed to be and to a specific causal attribution. Parents who preferred melatonin to behavioural treatment believed that their child’s sleep problem had more negative consequences on their child’s life. Specific beliefs held by parents about their child’s sleep problems might influence treatment acceptability and treatment choice. Parents are split between those who would prefer behavioural treatment and those who would prefer melatonin. However, as the sleep problem becomes more severe, it seems more likely that parents would choose the pharmacological treatment.
The experiences of professionals who care for people with intellectual disability who have substance-related problems
- Author:
- MCLAUGHLIN D.F.
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Substance Use, 12(2), April 2007, pp.133-143.
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
More people with intellectual disability are living independent lives. They can and do experiment with substances that the wider community try, such as alcohol and drugs (both legal and illicit). Unfortunately for some, they develop problems related to their use of these substances. Face-to-face, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 professionals who work in Intellectual Disability Services and Alcohol and Drug Services to discover their experiences of caring for people with intellectual disabilities who hazardously use substances. Although small numbers of people presented to these services, many more people with intellectual disabilities used Intellectual Disability Services for support, rather than their local Alcohol and Drug Services. While the numbers may be relatively small, the challenges this client group pose are very perturbing in relation to their physical, emotional and social health. The professionals reported a lack of education in working with this doubly disadvantaged population. Moreover, policies were absent to guide staff to work collaboratively with this often-ignored population. These findings are discussed in light of the innovative practices that are occurring in other parts of the UK regarding the recognition, assessment treatment and long-term management of this population. Intellectual Disability Services and Alcohol and Drug Services need to work more closely together if the needs of this population are to be effectively met.
Effects of functional versus non-functional explanations for challenging behaviours on treatment acceptability
- Authors:
- McCAUSLAND Darragh, et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Learning Disabilities, 8(4), December 2004, pp.351-369.
- Publisher:
- Sage
The study evaluated the effects of type of information naive participants received about challenging behaviour on ratings of acceptability of two multi-element treatment plans. Three groups of 20 undergraduate students with no experience of intellectual disability watched an identical 5 minute acted video of an individual with an intellectual disability engage in aggressive behaviour. Voiceover on the video differed: one group was exposed to information derived from a functional assessment, one to causal information that reflected personality and emotional factors, and the third to no causal information. Participants then rated two multielement treatment plans: one based upon functional assessment, and the other upon general non-aversive interventions. Results indicate that all groups were more accepting of the functional plan. However, individuals exposed to information derived from functional assessment were less accepting of non-functional treatment plans. Results have implications for staff cultures and the explanations for challenging behaviours that these cultures endorse.
Understanding factors that influence staff responses to challenging behaviours: an exploratory interview study
- Author:
- HASTINGS Richard P.
- Journal article citation:
- Mental Handicap Research, 8(4), 1995, pp.296-320.
- Publisher:
- BIMH Publications
Staff beliefs about challenging behaviours, and their perception of their working environment, are important for two main reasons. Firstly, the manner in which staff define challenging behaviour affects who is labelled as a challenge, and who is referred to specialist services. Secondly, staff views of their working environment may help us to understand why staff interact with people with learning disabilities in apparently counter-habilitative ways outlined in previous research. These issues were investigated in a systematic semi-structured interview of care staff. These findings, and their implications for research and practice, are discussed.
Factors influencing the use of psychotropic medication for challenging behaviour in the United Kingdom: a Q method investigation
- Authors:
- WASTELL Sarah, SKIRROW Paul, HARE Dougal Julian
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 29(4), 2016, p.295–304.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
Objectives: The use of pharmacological interventions to manage challenging behaviour displayed by adults with intellectual disabilities remains controversial, with current clinical guidelines in the United Kingdom advocating the use of less invasive psychological interventions. This exploratory study aimed to discover what views and beliefs are held by a sample of NHS professionals who provided care and treatment to adults with learning disabilities, about the factors that are influential in the clinical decision-making process, surrounding the prescription of psychotropic medication, to manage challenging behaviour. Methods: Q methodology was used to elucidate the factors considered influential in the clinical decision-making process, surrounding the prescription of medication to manage challenging behaviour. 55 participants from a range of services across the north–west of England performed a 104 statement Q-sort task. Results: Principle component factor analysis with varimax rotation was performed on the 55 completed Q sorts. This revealed a four factor solution, accounting for 44% of the variance in the data. The factors were interpreted and discussed under the following headings: ‘High-quality safe ethical practice’, Risk is a rationale for reactive prescribing’, ‘Pragmatic management’ and ‘Contextual issues’. Conclusions: The study demonstrated that Q methodology is a useful tool for identifying subjective viewpoints held by a range of professionals, with regard to the factors that influence the clinical decision-making process surrounding the prescription of medication. The study suggests that services need to identify the wider contextual factors, which are barriers, to the use of less invasive psychological interventions. (Publisher abstract)
Experimental effects of manipulating attributional information about challenging behaviour
- Authors:
- NOONE Stephen J., et al
- Journal article citation:
- Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 16(4), December 2003, pp.295-301.
- Publisher:
- Wiley
The informal staff culture in intellectual disability services has been proposed as a significant factor determining staff perceptions of, and responses towards, challenging behaviours. However, research to date has been exclusively descriptive. Methods An experimental analogue of one potentially salient aspect of staff informal culture, the causal language used to describe challenging behaviours, was developed. Naïve participants (N = 84 students) rated attributional dimensions and optimism after viewing a video of aggressive behaviour. Participants were exposed to vignettes in which information about the behaviour's controllability and stability was manipulated prior to viewing the video. Results Controllability and stability manipulations affected later perception of dimensions of causal attributions (e.g. behaviour presented as controllable was rated as caused by factors more likely to be internal to the depicted client), and optimism (e.g. behaviour presented as stable was associated with a less positive perception of potential for change). Conclusion Staff talk in intellectual disability services, especially language communicating causal information, is likely to affect perceptions of subsequent incidents of challenging behaviours. This may have important implications for the treatment and assessment of challenging behaviour. Further research is needed to replicate and extend the findings of this study and also to contribute to the development of external validity.