Australian Psychiatrists and Trainee Psychiatrists’ Perceptions of Chemical Restraint of Adults with Intellectual Disability

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Psychiatrists prescribe the psychotropic medication that is usedto manage behaviors of concern (BOC) in people with intellectual disability(ID) (i.e., chemical restraint), and their attitudes and perceptions towardsthis treatment are important topics for study. Methods 133 Queenslandpsychiatrists and psychiatry trainees completed a survey on attitudes andperceptions of ID and psychotropic medication. Exploratory cluster analysis wasperformed on 14 Likert items from this survey to detect groupings within thedata. Results Cluster analysis indicated the existence of two distinct clusters.While both groups were willing to be involved in the treatment of adults with ID,Cluster 1 held attitudes that showed inconsistencies with human rights principlesand with international guidelines regarding psychotropic medication use for BOC. Conclusions Our study highlights that the attitudes and perceptions ofa significant subgroup of psychiatrists may contribute to the overprescribingof psychotropics for BOC.