ERIC Number: EJ1468807
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Mar
Pages: 17
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1360-2322
EISSN: EISSN-1468-3148
Available Date: 2025-04-01
Interventions to Reduce Inappropriate Prescribing and Administration of Psychotropic Medications for People with Neurodevelopmental Disabilities: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Ben Younan1; Mikaela Jorgensen1,2; Glenys Holt3,4,5; Monica Cuskelly3,4; Manya Angley6; Robyn Wallace7,8; Juanita Breen9; Donna Gillies1
Journal of Applied Research in Intellectual Disabilities, v38 n2 e70046 2025
Background: People with neurodevelopmental disabilities are frequently prescribed or administered psychotropic medication, particularly to manage behaviours of concern. Reducing inappropriate psychotropic use has been the target of international research and policy for several decades. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched for interventions to reduce inappropriate prescribing or administration of psychotropics in this population. Results: Sixteen pre-post studies were included in this review. Meta-analysis showed a significant reduction in the number of participants receiving psychotropics for medication review, multi-component interventions, workplace training, and organisational guidelines and policies (risk ratio [RR] = 0.52, 95% CI [0.43, 0.62], p < 0.00). Subgroup analysis showed significant reductions with all interventions, with no apparent differences in reduction size between intervention types. Conclusion: Interventions reduced psychotropic use in a meta-analysis of pre-post studies. However, potential bias and high heterogeneity suggest that randomised controlled trials (RCTs) are needed for more definitive conclusions.
Descriptors: Meta Analysis, Drug Therapy, Intervention, Developmental Disabilities, Behavior Problems, Databases, Guidelines, Outcomes of Treatment, Research Reports
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www.wiley.com/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Information Analyses; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, Parramatta, Australia; 2Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; 3The Applied Research Centre for Disability and Wellbeing, Tasmania, Australia; 4College of Arts, Law and Education, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia; 5Possability Group, Tasmania, Australia; 6Research and Consulting, Adelaide, Australia; 7Calvary Lenah Valley Hospital, Tasmania, Australia; 8University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia; 9Wicking Dementia Research and Education Centre, College of Health and Medicine, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia