Strategies to de-escalate aggressive behavior in psychiatric patients [Internet]

Gaynes, B., Brown, C., Lux, L. J., Brownley, K., Van Dorn, R. A., Edlund, M. J., ... Lohr, K. N. (2016). Strategies to de-escalate aggressive behavior in psychiatric patients [Internet]: Report No.: 16-EHC032-EF. (Comparative Effectiveness Reviews; No. 180). Rockville, MD: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

CONCLUSIONS:
Given the ethical imperative for treating all patients with dignity, the clinical mandate of finding evidence-based solutions to these mental health challenges, and the legal liability associated with failure to assess and manage violence risk across the treatment continuum, the need for evidence to guide decisionmaking for de-escalating aggressive behavior is critical. The available evidence about relevant strategies is very limited. Only risk assessment decreased subsequent aggression or reduced use of seclusion and restraint (low SOE). Evidence for de-escalating aggressive behavior is even more limited. More research is needed to guide clinicians, administrators, and policymakers on how to best prevent and de-escalate aggressive behavior in acute care settings.