Physician Perspectives on Severe Behavior and Restraint Use in a Hospital Setting for Patients with Autism Spectrum Disorder

Hospitals, with many features that can evoke severe behavior in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), often use restraint as a behavior management strategy. Prior research on restraint in patients with ASD has primarily focused on children or specific departments. Twenty-five physicians and medical trainees from an urban teaching hospital participated in discussions about experiences managing severe behavior in patients with ASD across the lifespan. Twenty themes emerged from thematic analysis of participant transcripts. The five most salient themes included: lack of procedural knowledge with restraint implemented by other hospital professionals; alternative strategies to manage severe behavior; negative perceptions of restraint; helpful role of caregivers; and limited experience treating patients with ASD, and critical need for training in function-based management.