A feasibility cluster RCT involving SPECTROM staff training programme to help reduce the overmedication of adults with intellectual disabilities
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
Introduction
We coproduced SPECTROM (Short-term Psycho-Education for Carers To Help Reduce the OverMedication of people with intellectual disabilities) (https://spectrom.wixsite.com/project) training for support staff (direct care workers) to help reduce the overmedication of people with intellectual disabilities.
Methods
A multisite feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial involving SPECTROM training.
Results
Overall, 39 clusters were recruited (26 in the SPECTROM training and 13 in the control group). Antipsychotic medicine dose was reduced among 19% of prescriptions in the training group at 6 months post-training follow-up compared with 6% in the non-training group. PKQ-R (Psychotropic Knowledge Questionnaire-Revised) and MAVAS-R-ID (Management of Aggression and Violence Attitude Scale-Revised-Intellectual Disabilities) scores showed a statistically significant improvement at 4 weeks of follow-up (p < .001). The focus groups revealed that the trainees found the SPECTROM acceptable, practical, and relevant to their practice.
Conclusions
The findings of the current feasibility study support progression to a larger and more definitive RCT.
Trial Registration
Name of the registry: ISRCTN; Trial registration number: ISRCTN71712166; date of registration: 24.01.24; URL of trial registry: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN71712166
We coproduced SPECTROM (Short-term Psycho-Education for Carers To Help Reduce the OverMedication of people with intellectual disabilities) (https://spectrom.wixsite.com/project) training for support staff (direct care workers) to help reduce the overmedication of people with intellectual disabilities.
Methods
A multisite feasibility cluster randomized controlled trial involving SPECTROM training.
Results
Overall, 39 clusters were recruited (26 in the SPECTROM training and 13 in the control group). Antipsychotic medicine dose was reduced among 19% of prescriptions in the training group at 6 months post-training follow-up compared with 6% in the non-training group. PKQ-R (Psychotropic Knowledge Questionnaire-Revised) and MAVAS-R-ID (Management of Aggression and Violence Attitude Scale-Revised-Intellectual Disabilities) scores showed a statistically significant improvement at 4 weeks of follow-up (p < .001). The focus groups revealed that the trainees found the SPECTROM acceptable, practical, and relevant to their practice.
Conclusions
The findings of the current feasibility study support progression to a larger and more definitive RCT.
Trial Registration
Name of the registry: ISRCTN; Trial registration number: ISRCTN71712166; date of registration: 24.01.24; URL of trial registry: https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN71712166
Date Issued
2025-05-09
Date Acceptance
2025-04-17
Citation
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities, 2025
ISSN
1931-5864
Publisher
Taylor and Francis Group
Journal / Book Title
Journal of Mental Health Research in Intellectual Disabilities
Copyright Statement
© 2025 The Author(s). Published with license by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/ licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. The terms on which this article has been published allow the posting of the Accepted Manuscript in a repository by the author(s) or with their consent.
License URL
Identifier
10.1186/ISRCTN71712166
Subjects
Cluster RCT
behaviours that challenge
STOMP
SPECTROM staff training
adults with intellectual disabilities
psychotropic medicine
caregiver
Publication Status
Published online
Date Publish Online
2025-05-09