A recent UK study has highlighted the continued use of psychotropic drugs among adults with learning disabilities in community and supported living settings, often prescribed for behaviours that challenge, despite the absence of a diagnosed severe mental illness. The findings, published in Research in Developmental Disabilities, reveal that nearly half of those assessed were prescribed antipsychotics, followed by antidepressants, anti-epileptics, and benzodiazepines.

The research found significant levels of polypharmacy, with 45% of individuals taking more than one type of psychotropic medication, and 20% receiving both antipsychotics and antidepressants. These prescribing practices persist despite limited clinical justification and strong guidance advising against such approaches without robust, multi-disciplinary interventions in place.

Medication data was gathered from 112 adults as part of a feasibility randomised controlled trial involving SPECTROM – a staff training initiative developed to support NHS England’s STOMP campaign, which aims to reduce the overuse of psychotropic drugs in people with learning disabilities and autism. Encouragingly, the study showed that individuals supported by staff trained through SPECTROM were more likely to experience reduced medication doses over six months.

National guidance advises that antipsychotics should only be used when combined with psychosocial interventions. These approaches, such as positive behaviour support and communication therapies, aim to address underlying causes of distress and promote healthier, non-pharmacological ways of managing behaviours that challenge.