A qualitative study on the knowledge and views that people with learning disabilities and their carers have of psychotropic medication prescribed for behaviour problems

Abstract

We describe the results of a qualitative study that explored the knowledge and views 20 adults with learning disabilities and their carers had of medication prescribed for behaviour problems. We found that the adults with mild and moderate learning disabilities can provide sensible, consistent and valuable information about their thoughts and experiences of medication prescribed when questions are asked in an open‐ended format. We also found that few people with learning disabilities were fully informed about their treatment. Nevertheless, the prescribing of such medication emerged as a positive experience, in keeping with the wishes of the majority of participants interviewed who expressed satisfaction with the medication based on perceived benefit. For the minority of participants who expressed dissatisfaction with medication, the reasons related mainly to their perceived lack of role in the treatment decision, their experience of adverse effects, a perceived lack of efficacy and a ‘desire to lead a normal life’. Alternatives to medication were discussed by both adults with learning disabilities and their carers, and the relevance of these findings to clinical practice is addressed in the paper.

Citation

Hall, S. and Deb, S. (2008), "A qualitative study on the knowledge and views that people with learning disabilities and their carers have of psychotropic medication prescribed for behaviour problems", Advances in Mental Health and Learning Disabilities, Vol. 2 No. 1, pp. 29-37. https://doi.org/10.1108/17530180200800005