PSYCHOTROPIC DRUG

Psychotropic drug

Abstract

This article presents the findings of a study that sought to more fully describe and analyze social work students' knowledge of and attitudes toward psychotropic medications. The use of students was an optimal first step toward allowing clear and direct connections between the findings and their curriculum implications. However, a need to survey clinicians working across fields of practice also exists; the current study is seen as a pilot effort toward that end. This article presents a review of the research on various professionals' knowledge of and attitudes toward psychotropic drugs. In addition, this article describes the extent and type of knowledge the students possessed, as well as the strength and direction of those attitudes. It also describes possible effects of previous professional and personal experiences (the "stuff" students bring with them) on developing knowledge and attitudes.

KEY WORDS

Adverse effects; drug safety; medication management; psychopharmacology; psychotropic drugs

Background

Expanding social work roles in medication management and psychoeudcation, especially in mental health, clearly require that students posses an enlarged knowledge base and a set of enlightened attitudes regarding psychotropic medications and their use. This article reports the results of a survey that investigated the knowledge of and attitudes toward psychotropic medications among a population of social work students. If the survey results were scored like a school exam, then the average student surveyed scored a "C+." The article also suggests that both personal and professional experiences in the mental health field apparently influence knowledge of an attitudes toward psychotropic drugs. It is recommended that social work course content be expanded to include relevant information on psychotropic drugs.

The growing interest, concern, and controversy (Cohen, 1989; Johnson, 1989) surrounding the role of social workers in psychopharmacology is reflected in the gradually expanding literature in this area (Bentley, Rosenson, & Zito, 1990; Cohen, 1988; Matorin & DeChillo, 1984; Mendelsohn, 1983; Wise, 1986). This literature encourages social workers to increase their involvement in educating patients with a mental illness and their caregivers about psychotropic drugs, in assisting with medication management and monitoring, and in helping to increase adherence to regimens (Bentley et al, 1990; Davidson & Jamison, 1983; McCollum, Margolin, & Lieb, 1978; Wise, 1986). In addition, social workers can serve as advocates for a patient's right to either receive medications (e.g., clozapine) or to refuse them (Bentley & Rosenson, 1989; Gerhart & Brooks, 1983). These expanding roles clearly indicate that social work students must be knowledgeable about psychotropic medications as well as have enlightened attitudes toward those drugs that are consistent with new challenges.

Literature Review

Most current writers (and others since the 1960s, e.g., Hankoff & Galvin [1968]) have strongly advocated for social work programs to offer significantly more content and training in relevant aspects of psychopharmacology. Libassi's (1990) survey confirms that, despite current minimal coverage in the curricula nationally, this need is also recognized by students, faculty, and practitioners This need is not limited to master's-level or mental health students only. Johnson et al. (1990) outlined how information about medications should be a "major ...