Behavioral skills training for teaching safety skills to mental health service providers compared to training-as-usual: a pragmatic randomized control trial.

BACKGROUND: Violence in the healthcare workplace has been a global concern for over two decades, with a high prevalence of violence towards healthcare workers reported. Workplace violence has become a healthcare quality indicator and embedded in quality improvement initiatives of many healthcare organizations. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada's largest mental health hospital, provides all clinical staff with mandated staff safety training for self-protection and team-control skills. These skills are to be used as a last resort when a patient is at imminent risk of harm to self or others. The purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of two training methods of this mandated staff safety training for workplace violence in a large psychiatric hospital setting. METHODS: Using a pragmatic randomized control trial design, this study compares two approaches to teaching safety skills CAMH's training-as-usual (TAU) using the 3D approach (description, demonstration and doing) and behavioural skills training (BST), from the field of applied behaviour analysis, using instruction, modeling, practice and feedback loop. Staff were assessed on three outcome measures (competency, mastery and confidence), across three time points: before training (baseline), immediately after training (post-training) and one month later (follow-up). This study was registered with the ISRCTN registry on 06/09/2023 (ISRCTN18133140). RESULTS: With a sample size of 99 new staff, results indicate that BST was significantly better than TAU in improving observed performance of self-protection and team-control skills. Both methods were associated with improved skills and confidence. However, there was a decrease in skill performance levels at the one-month follow-up for both methods, with BST remaining higher than TAU scores across all three time points. The impact of training improved staff confidence in both training methods and remained high across all three time points. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings suggest that BST is more effective than TAU in improving safety skills among healthcare workers. However, the retention of skills over time remains a concern, and therefore a single training session without on-the-job-feedback or booster sessions based on objective assessments of skill may not be sufficient. Further research is needed to confirm and expand upon these findings in different settings.

PRN usage before and after discharge from a forensic inpatient unit: A series example of patients with intellectual disabilities.

Adults living with intellectual and developmental disabilities are often prescribed psychotropic medication on an "as needed" basis (PRN) in response to behavioural challenges. In the present study we conducted a retrospective analysis of medication administration records in the 6-months preceding and following discharge of 11 adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities to community settings from forensic inpatient units within a mental health hospital. We found a significant reduction in the frequency of PRN usage after discharge. We propose potential reasons for the difference in PRN administration across settings and make suggestions for future research.

Behavioral Skills Training for Teaching Safety Skills to Mental Health Clinicians: Protocol for a Pragmatic Randomized Control Trial.

BACKGROUND: Workplace violence is an increasingly significant topic, particularly for staff working in mental health settings. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), Canada's largest mental health hospital, considers workplace safety a high priority and consequently has mandated staff safety training. For clinical staff, key components of this training are self-protection and team-control skills, which are a last resort when an individual is at an imminent risk of harm to self or others and other interventions are ineffective (eg, verbal de-escalation). For the past 20 years, CAMH's training-as-usual (TAU) has been based on a 3D approach (description, demonstration, and doing), but without any competency-based assessment. Recent staff reports indicate that the acquisition and retention of these skills may be problematic and that staff are not always confident in their ability to effectively address workplace violence. The current literature lacks studies that evaluate how staff are trained to acquire these physical skills and consequently provides no recommendations or best practice guidelines. To address these gaps described by the staff and in the literature, we have used an evidence-based approach from the field of applied behavior analysis known as behavioral skills training (BST), which requires trainees to actively execute targeted skills through instruction, modeling, practice, and feedback loop. As part of this method, competency checklists of skills are used with direct observation to determine successful mastery. OBJECTIVE: Our objectives are to evaluate the effectiveness of BST versus TAU in terms of staff confidence; their competence in self-protection and team-control physical skills; their level of mastery (predefined as 80% competence) in these skills; and their confidence, competency, and mastery at 1 month posttraining. METHODS: We are using a pragmatic randomized controlled trial design. New staff registering for their mandatory safety training are randomly assigned to sessions which are, in turn, randomly assigned to either the BST or TAU conditions. Attendees are informed and consented into the study at the beginning of training. Differences between those consenting and those not consenting in terms of role and department are tracked to flag potential biases. RESULTS: This study was internally funded and commenced in January 2021 after receiving ethics approval. As of May 2022, data collection is complete; half of the baseline, posttraining, and 1-month videotapes have been rated, and three-fourths of the interrater reliability checks have been completed. The analysis is expected to begin in late summer 2022 with results submitted for publication by fall 2022. CONCLUSIONS: The findings from this study are expected to contribute to both the medical education literature as well as to the field of applied behavioral analysis where randomized controlled trial designs are rare. More practically, the results are also expected to inform the continuing development of our institutional staff safety training program. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/39672.

Evaluation and Maintenance of Behavioral Interventions for 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome.

22q11.2-deletion syndrome is a genetic disorder caused by a small deletion of chromosome 22. This deletion often results in developmental delays, learning disabilities, medical conditions, and comorbid psychiatric conditions. Patients with 22q11.2DS may present with a variety of behavioral phenotypes including obsessiveness and rigidity, poor social skills, and anxiety. In some cases, the phenotype can consist of destructive and inappropriate behavior including harming self and others. Behavioral difficulties are reported as one of the most challenging aspects of 22q11.2-deletion syndrome for families of patients, however, few studies have examined behavioral interventions as a possible therapeutic treatment for this population. Using principles derived from operant-behavioral psychology, we conducted functional assessments to determine the environmental correlates of destructive and inappropriate behaviors in two adult men with 22q11.2-deletion syndrome. Subsequently, behavioral interventions based on differential reinforcement were incorporated into each participant's natural environment to eliminate these behaviors. Significant reductions in destructive and inappropriate behavior were observed with both participants and therapeutic gains were maintained at follow-up. We discuss the role of behavioral interventions in combination with appropriate psychotropic medication when addressing challenging behaviors in this population.

The role of the behavior analyst on interprofessional mental health teams: opportunities for collaboration and enhancing patient care.

Patients living with mental illness have needs that span a range of professional disciplines, settings, and service systems. These needs are best addressed through interprofessional collaboration. Behavior analysts can play a valuable role in enhancing patient care as part of the interprofessional mental health team. We provide information about the field of applied behavior analysis and its contribution to the assessment and treatment of patients living with mental health and substance use challenges. We outline how behavior analysts are trained and touch upon the practice of behavior analysis in North America and beyond. We describe collaborative relationships with other mental health professionals and, as an example, review the role of the behavior analyst on interprofessional teams in our mental health and addiction teaching hospital in Canada. We highlight some of the challenges faced by behavior analysts working in the mental health field and offer suggestions to increase their profile and opportunities for collaboration in clinical programs.

The untapped potential of behaviour analysis and interprofessional care.

Interprofessional collaboration has become a sought-after component of quality mental health care. Higher education institutions and mental health organizations seek to equip clinicians with the ability to provide cohesive clinical services while working collaboratively with a diverse group of professionals. Although research suggests that there may be benefits of interprofessional collaboration in mental health settings, collaborative practice initiatives have struggled with conceptual and methodological limitations. A behaviour analytic contribution to interprofessional care provides a philosophical position with an analytical goal distinguished by the prediction and influence of events, theoretical clarity, and methodological rigour that are needed within interprofessional research and practice. At the philosophical level, the extension of functional contextualism to interprofessional care research may provide a framework to achieve the valued ends of improving interprofessional collaboration and ultimately improving health-related outcomes for service users. Interprofessional collaboration can be conceptualized as metacontingency, a behaviour analytic concept that allows for a group level analysis of contributing social components. This paper uses the example of mental health care to guide a conceptual analysis of the potential application of behaviour analytic methodology within interprofessional practice, research, and education.