The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?

In 1838, the Mechanic's Hospital in Lincoln, England announced they had eliminated the use of restraint with all residents using Moral Treatment. This methodology of meeting the needs of people affected by mental health concerns utilizing peer supports, robust data analysis and listening to the...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Bob Bowen, Bryn Esh, Cadyn McKelvey, Dayonna Simmons, Ellie Beckner, Princess Dweh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-01-01
Series:Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125002025
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850209019849867264
author Bob Bowen
Bryn Esh
Cadyn McKelvey
Dayonna Simmons
Ellie Beckner
Princess Dweh
author_facet Bob Bowen
Bryn Esh
Cadyn McKelvey
Dayonna Simmons
Ellie Beckner
Princess Dweh
author_sort Bob Bowen
collection DOAJ
description In 1838, the Mechanic's Hospital in Lincoln, England announced they had eliminated the use of restraint with all residents using Moral Treatment. This methodology of meeting the needs of people affected by mental health concerns utilizing peer supports, robust data analysis and listening to the patient's perspective without using restraint or seclusion spread to other parts of Europe and North America, leading to the emancipation of people from the chains of mental health treatment. However, beginning in the last part of the 19th century, the chains came back into use in the form of physical and manual restraints as well as living in abusive and neglectful environments. Almost 200 years later the broad field of mental health and disability services is again finding ways to eliminate the use of restraint and other coercive practices through Trauma Informed Behavior Supports (TIBS), and the leadership of organizations such as the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), the British Institute for Learning Disabilities (BILD) and others. The questions are: Why did restraint and other coercive practices emerge after their use had been eliminated, and what factors which led to their re-emergence are present in the 21st century and may threaten the progress made in the elimination of restraint and seclusion at this point in time? This paper will examine the points of transition between non-coercive and coercive practices and how the policies and cultural factors that led to the demise of Moral Treatment may also lead to the demise of TIBS and gives policy recommendations to prevent this from occurring.
format Article
id doaj-art-5ef626bffa7f44abbdaffe77ec061a10
institution OA Journals
issn 2590-2911
language English
publishDate 2025-01-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Social Sciences and Humanities Open
spelling doaj-art-5ef626bffa7f44abbdaffe77ec061a102025-08-20T02:10:07ZengElsevierSocial Sciences and Humanities Open2590-29112025-01-011110147410.1016/j.ssaho.2025.101474The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?Bob Bowen0Bryn Esh1Cadyn McKelvey2Dayonna Simmons3Ellie Beckner4Princess Dweh5Corresponding author.; Malone University, Canton, OH, USAMalone University, Canton, OH, USAMalone University, Canton, OH, USAMalone University, Canton, OH, USAMalone University, Canton, OH, USAMalone University, Canton, OH, USAIn 1838, the Mechanic's Hospital in Lincoln, England announced they had eliminated the use of restraint with all residents using Moral Treatment. This methodology of meeting the needs of people affected by mental health concerns utilizing peer supports, robust data analysis and listening to the patient's perspective without using restraint or seclusion spread to other parts of Europe and North America, leading to the emancipation of people from the chains of mental health treatment. However, beginning in the last part of the 19th century, the chains came back into use in the form of physical and manual restraints as well as living in abusive and neglectful environments. Almost 200 years later the broad field of mental health and disability services is again finding ways to eliminate the use of restraint and other coercive practices through Trauma Informed Behavior Supports (TIBS), and the leadership of organizations such as the American Psychiatric Nurses Association (APNA), the British Institute for Learning Disabilities (BILD) and others. The questions are: Why did restraint and other coercive practices emerge after their use had been eliminated, and what factors which led to their re-emergence are present in the 21st century and may threaten the progress made in the elimination of restraint and seclusion at this point in time? This paper will examine the points of transition between non-coercive and coercive practices and how the policies and cultural factors that led to the demise of Moral Treatment may also lead to the demise of TIBS and gives policy recommendations to prevent this from occurring.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125002025Moral treatmentEugenicsRestraintSeclusionBehavior analysisPositive behavior support
spellingShingle Bob Bowen
Bryn Esh
Cadyn McKelvey
Dayonna Simmons
Ellie Beckner
Princess Dweh
The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?
Social Sciences and Humanities Open
Moral treatment
Eugenics
Restraint
Seclusion
Behavior analysis
Positive behavior support
title The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?
title_full The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?
title_fullStr The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?
title_full_unstemmed The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?
title_short The use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 Years ago: Why are we still using coercive practices?
title_sort use of restraint was eliminated in psychiatric hospitals 200 years ago why are we still using coercive practices
topic Moral treatment
Eugenics
Restraint
Seclusion
Behavior analysis
Positive behavior support
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590291125002025
work_keys_str_mv AT bobbowen theuseofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT brynesh theuseofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT cadynmckelvey theuseofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT dayonnasimmons theuseofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT elliebeckner theuseofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT princessdweh theuseofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT bobbowen useofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT brynesh useofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT cadynmckelvey useofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT dayonnasimmons useofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT elliebeckner useofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices
AT princessdweh useofrestraintwaseliminatedinpsychiatrichospitals200yearsagowhyarewestillusingcoercivepractices