Abstract
Background: Due to the present prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and the frequency of psychiatric care for this population, the author examines best practices to support individuals with ASD in inpatient psychiatric settings. Key features of this presentation include (a) ASD, the cooccurring behavioral and psychiatric challenges and the obstacles that people with ASD associate with (b) complications of inpatient settings, such as the excessive use of physical restraints and inefficient training, and (c) applied behavior analysis (ABA) intervention that teaches children to increase social functioning and decrease problem behavior. Researchers have aimed to produce better outcomes through education, training, and implementation of the principles of ABA.
Approach: This literature review calls attention to the complications of inpatient settings when providing treatment. The author will promote the following to achieve effective, ethical, and best practices for children and adolescents with ASD and in
The literature review findings indicate that previous researchers have identified successful interventions through preventative, consequent strategies and crisis management. These interventions provide better outcomes than seclusion and improper use of restraints, often implemented by less trained staff. A common theme in the literature across authors is the importance of education and training for hospital nurses and employees.
Results: ABA uses the results of fundamental research on the principles of learning and behavior to create functional interventions for people of all ages and situations by addressing their critical challenges and maximizing their psychological and social well-being (Summer et al., 2021) (1). In a growing profession, behavior analysts bring a specialty to an integrated team to address behavior challenges and maximize rehabilitation by manipulating environmental factors. Although a growing field, this practice has collaborated with nurses for over 50 years and continues collaborating with psychiatrists and mental health professionals today (1).
Implications: Research indicates that people with ASD often face psychiatric conditions that require psychiatric attention (Donnely et al., 2020) (2). Further research describes the challenging conditions of psychiatric care when treating individuals with ASD. When hospital nurses and staff struggle to obtain adequate ethical practices, highly skilled professionals must provide education and training to medical teams, shaping the future of psychiatric care for patients with ASD,
References
1.Donnely, L.J., Cervantez, P.E., Okparaeke, E., Stein, C.R., Filton, B., Kuriakose, S., Havens, J., & Horwitz, S.M. (2020). Staff perceptions and implementation fidelity of an autism spectrum disorder pathway on a child/adolescent general psychiatric inpatient service. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 51(1), 158-168. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10803-020-04509-0
2.Summer, J., Busch, L., Kako, M., Lau, C. (2021). The role of behavior analyst on interprofessional mental health terms: opportunities for collaboration and enhancing patient care. Journal of Interprofessional Care, 36(3), 434-440. https://doi.org/10.1080/13561820.2021.1969345
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