Griffin, B. orcid.org/0000-0002-2563-1509, Baker, J., Vogt, K.S. et al. (2 more authors) (2025) Service users’ experiences of restrictive practices in adult inpatient mental health services. A systematic review and meta-ethnography of qualitative studies. Journal of Mental Health. ISSN 0963-8237
Abstract
Background There is a focus globally on reducing restrictive practices in mental healthcare. However, we know little about how service users experience restrictive practices generally.
Aim To explore and synthesise experiences of restrictive practices in adult inpatients mental health settings and to report on the depth and breadth of the literature. Methods. CINAHL, PsycINFO, Scopus, MEDLINE and Embase were searched. Qualitative studies exploring the service user experience of restrictive practices were included and analysed using meta-ethnographic synthesis.
Results Twenty-seven papers were included. Restrictive practices are experienced negatively by service users, who feel punished and powerless when the therapeutic relationship is weak, and communication is lacking. The third-order constructs were: (1) anti-therapeutic and dehumanising, (2) a vicious cycle, (3) an abuse of power and (4) the critical role of support and communication (subthemes: (i) the impact of communication and (ii) how support and communication can minimise negative impacts).
Conclusions Participants suggest that increasing supportive communication and detailing the decision making for using restrictive practices, would reduce feelings of coercion and increase trust in staff. Future research into the experience of restrictive practice should aim to capture the experience of informal restrictive practices such as locked doors and coercive language.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2025 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC-BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. |
Keywords: | Restrictive practice, coercion, experience, qualitative, review, patient experience |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Medicine and Health (Leeds) > School of Psychology (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 17 Feb 2025 11:05 |
Last Modified: | 08 Apr 2025 10:12 |
Status: | Published online |
Publisher: | Taylor & Francis |
Identification Number: | 10.1080/09638237.2025.2478372 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:223397 |