Content and Feasibility of Interventions to Reduce Mechanical Restraint Use in Adult Forensic Mental Health Inpatient...

Most interventions aimed at reducing mechanical restraint (MR) have not been adapted to forensic mental health settings (FMHS) and rarely consider the perspectives of service users (SUs), relatives, and staff.

To investigate the perceptions of SUs, relatives, and staff regarding the content and feasibility of seven interventions to reduce MR use in adult FMHS.

We conducted semi-structured, one-on-one, and group interviews with SUs, relatives, and staff within an FMHS and analyzed the data using content analysis.

Seven categories were produced: building relationships, expanding patient-related knowledge, applying de-escalation methods, optimizing staffing levels, increasing availability, improving collaboration, and promoting professional staff attitudes.

Strengthening relationships is fundamental to the feasibility of most interventions aimed at reducing MR episodes. SU-staff relations depend on staff's knowledge of and genuine engagement with SUs, while staff-staff dynamics are built on trust and collaboration.