Date of Award

12-2002

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Alan D. Poling

Second Advisor

Dr. Kristal Ehrhardt

Third Advisor

Dr. Jack Michael

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

Surveys indicate that 25-40% of students with mental retardation or other developmental disabilities receive one or more psychotropic medications, however, almost nothing is known concerning how the effects of the medications are monitored. Parents/guardians and teachers were interviewed to ascertain information regarding current monitoring procedures in the home and in the school setting. Additionally information was gathered to ascertain their knowledge regarding: 1) the reason for which their students were prescribed psychotropic medications; 2) the behavioral domains that those medications are intended to affect, 3) the current status of those behavioral domains, and 4) consumers' satisfaction with the pharmacological intervention. The results suggest that both at home and at school there is a lack of systematic monitoring of the effects of psychotropic medications, that parents/guardians and teachers are not satisfied with the results produced by the medication and that there is a general lack of knowledge about the rationale for the prescribed medication and the side effects of these medications. Additionally, the results suggest that both the parents/guardians and teachers have a lack of knowledge regarding the side effects of the medications prescribed.

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