WEIGHTED BLANKET EFFICACY FOR REDUCING ANXIETY AND ANGER IN ADULT PSYCHIATRIC PATIENTS

Abstract

Restraint and seclusion continue to be used to manage aggressive and self-injurious behaviors in psychiatric patients on the inpatient psychiatric unit. This intervention can cause both physiological and psychological injuries to the patient. The individual may experience feelings of humiliation, anger, shame, as well as re-traumatization for those individuals with a trauma history. Physical injuries such as broken bones, lacerations, shortness of breath may occur. Over the course of psychiatric history, the use of restraints and seclusion has been viewed as barbaric and brutal by others, while others see the practice as beneficial and therapeutic and necessary for the safety of the individual and staff. In recent years, this practice has been closely monitored since individuals have died while in restraints or seclusion. This concern over the use of restraint and seclusion has caused clinicians (nursing, occupational therapists, and others) to find alternative interventions. One intervention that has been used by occupational therapists is the weighted blanket (WB). The purpose of this dissertation was to research the effects of the WB with the adult population on an inpatient psychiatric unit. The focus was to explore if the WB decreased anxiety and anger in this population. The results of this research showed that there was a decrease in anxiety and anger for those participants who used the WB for 30 minutes. These findings were supported by the results of other research conducted since 2008.