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Prevalence of severe behavior disorders in persons with mental retardation and treatment procedures used in community and institutional settings
Author(s) -
Meador Darlene M.,
Osborn Robert G.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
behavioral interventions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.605
H-Index - 34
eISSN - 1099-078X
pISSN - 1072-0847
DOI - 10.1002/bin.2360070405
Subject(s) - psychological intervention , psychology , clinical psychology , psychiatry , cognition
A statewide survey of moderate and severe behavior disorders in persons with mental retardation in institutional and community settings was conducted. Information on the treatment procedures used and the adequacy of available resources in both settings was also gathered. Results indicated that community staff had considerably less experience than institutional staff in dealing with serious behavior disorders exhibited by persons with substantial cognitive and physical impairments. The types of aberrant behaviors with the highest prevalence rates showed differences in the institutions and the community. The largest differences in prevalence rates for severe behavior disorders in the two settings occurred for aggressive and self‐injurious behaviors. Community staff thus had appreciably less experience than institutional staff in designing interventions for severe aggressive and self‐injurious behaviors. About half of the identified individuals in both settings received psychotropic medications. Institutional staff were most likely to use restrictive behavioral procedures than community staff. Findings indicated that the most restrictive procedures were used primarily with only certain severe behavior disorders. Subjective ratings of the overall effectiveness of interventions were lower by community than institutional staff. The usefulness of the obtained data base for statewide planning in the area of behavioral supports is discussed.