Psychotropic medications are prescribed widely to many people with learning disabilities, but there remain many concerns about over, or improper use of such medications.
Here, Kate van Dooren looks at a study which collected data from 100 participants over a period of time to look at psychotropic medication and the relationship between dose, demographic factors and aggression scores.
[read the full story...]
Tom Crossland looks at the findings of a review of the literature regarding women with learning disabilities and forensic needs
[read the full story...]
Whilst there is a good deal of research into the use of physical interventions in the management of challenging behaviour, there is less available on the way these are experienced by people receiving them, or the staff and family carers involved.
Here, Rose Tomlins looks at a review of the literature that focused on these experiences.
[read the full story...]
The lives of some people with profound and multiple learning disabilities are affected by challenging behaviours, which include self-injurious, stereotypical, destructive, or aggressive behaviours.
Here in his debut blog, Paul Barnard looks at a study from the Netherlands which looked at whether challenging behaviour was being addressed formally in day to day practice.
[read the full story...]
Children with learning disabilities are more likely to have challenging behaviours and as a result are more at risk of social exclusion, deprivation, physical harm and abuse.
In her debut blog, Alix Dixon considers the findings of a recent literature review of early interventions for children with challenging behaviours and their families.
[read the full story...]
Self injurious behaviour in people with learning disabilities, as well as causing physical harm, can have a major impact on quality of life. It is not entirely clear why people engage in self injurious behaviours, but one theory suggests that it may be connected with an opiate euphoria. If this is so, it might be that medications that blocked these opiates might impact on levels of SIB.
Here, Rachel Allen looks at a systematic review that set out to address that question.
[read the full story...]
Mindfulness has been offered as a way to help reduce stress in family and carers but few studies have as yet looked directly at the effects of offering mindfulness-based interventions to people with learning disabilities themselves.
In her debut blog, Leen Vereenhooghe looks at an attempt to evaluate a mindfulness group in an inpatient assessment and treatment unit through the experiences of those who took part.
[read the full story...]
Self injurious behaviour usually directly results in physical harm to an individual and can also seriously impact on their quality of life
Here, Kate van Dooren looks at a review of the literature relating to behavioural interventions for self-injurious behaviours, which sets out to consider the implications of this literature for training and managerial support.
[read the full story...]
Responses to behaviour that challenges are far more likely to be successful if based on good quality functional analysis.
In his debut blog, Russell Woolgar considers the effectiveness of Trial Based Functional Assessment, and looks at a systematic review which also aims to identify future areas for research.
[read the full story...]
The Bubb report has now been published. It recommends a new commissioning framework for services provided for people with learning disabilities and/or autism who are currently in inappropriate hospital units.
Here we take a look at the recommendations and ask if it is enough to bring about the change that is so clearly needed.
[read the full story...]
