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Demographic and clinical characteristics impact the use of restrictive interventions in an adolescent inpatient unit
Doyle, Lesley Hochard, Kevin Wadsworth, Robynne Pender, Fiona Watkin, Anna Jaydeokar, Sujeet
Doyle, Lesley
Hochard, Kevin
Wadsworth, Robynne
Pender, Fiona
Watkin, Anna
Jaydeokar, Sujeet
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Other Contributors
EPub Date
Publication Date
2024-04-25
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Abstract
In adolescents admitted to mental health inpatient units, restrictive interventions are associated with a risk of physical and psychological harm. Mental health policy and legal frameworks advocate least restrictive options and there is a drive to reduce the use of restrictive interventions in inpatient units. There is insufficient evidence pertaining to the characteristics of UK adolescents who are at risk of experiencing restrictive interventions within general adolescent mental health units. This study aimed to determine whether demographic and clinical characteristics are associated with the use and type of restrictive interventions.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using routinely collected data from a general adolescent unit in the National Health Service (NHS) in England, UK, over a 2-year period (1st January 2021 to 31st December 2022).
There were three key findings. Of the 122 adolescents admitted, 46(38%) experienced restrictive intervention. Characteristics associated with the increased use of restrictive interventions included diagnosis of behavioural and emotional disorders and being a child looked after by the local authority. Being male was significantly associated with seclusion and being a child looked after was significantly associated with the use of physical and chemical interventions.
These findings have important implications for policy and practice; they highlight the need for careful consideration by professionals, as to whether the risks of admission including the increased risk of restrictive interventions outweigh the potential benefits and for further consideration of the most appropriate strategies for reducing the need for and use of restrictive interventions.
Citation
Doyle, L., Hochard, K., Wadsworth, R., Pender, F., Watkin, A., & Jaydeokar, S. (2025). Demographic and clinical characteristics impact the use of restrictive interventions in an adolescent inpatient unit. Evidence-Based Practice in Child & Adolescent Mental Health, 10(1), 46-55. https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2024.2344474
Publisher
Taylor & Francis
Journal
Evidence-Based Practice in Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Research Unit
DOI
10.1080/23794925.2024.2344474
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Type
Article
Language
Description
This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Evidence-Based Practice in Child and Adolescent Mental Health on 25/04/2024, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/23794925.2024.2344474
Series/Report no.
ISSN
2379-4925
EISSN
2379-4933