Behaviour management problems as predictors of psychotropic medication and use of psychiatric services in adults with autism.
We examined behaviour management problems as predictors of psychotropic medication, use of psychiatric consultation and in-patient admission in a group of 66 adults with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD) and intellectual disability (ID) and 99 controls matched in age, gender and level of ID. Overall, people with PDD had higher rates of most DAS behaviour problems and more frequent use of anti-psychotics than matched controls. Logistic regression analyses showed that physical aggression and problems such as pestering staff independently predicted use of anti-psychotics. Physical aggression and overactivity predicted further involvement of psychiatric services. PDD diagnosis predicted admission to an in-patient unit. The results suggest that externalizing problem behaviours in adults with autism can predict type of treatment intervention.
Tsakanikos
Elias
E
Division of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, King's College London, Estia Center, 66 Snowsfields, London, SE1 3SS, UK. e.tsakanikos@iop.kcl.ac.uk
Costello
Helen
H
Holt
Geraldine
G
Sturmey
Peter
P
Bouras
Nick
N
D000328:Adult; D000374:Aggression / Q000187:drug effects; D000927:Anticonvulsants / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001321:Autistic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002659:Child Development Disorders, Pervasive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008131:London; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D008605:Mental Health Services / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D014600:Utilization Review
D000927:Anticonvulsants; D014150:Antipsychotic Agents; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs