Educators’ perceptions in regard to the use of psychotropic medication by adolescents housed in youth care centres in the Montreal area
In the Montreal area, three studies on drug use have shown that between 20 and 36% of minors housed in youth care centers receive psychotropic medication. In view of the low rate of treatment compliance likely to be observed in this group, which is subject to legal authority, as well as the lack of understanding of the role and expectations of psychosocial workers when prescriptions are issued and the symbolic value of the medication which is likely to influence both the process and the result of the treatment, an exploratory study based on 19 interviews was conducted. It was designed to record the perceptions of educators responsible for youth placed in various facilities who have a prescription. The results indicate that, issuing psychotropic medication to adolescents has become part of the general re-education and daily accompaniment approach. In view of the possibility of obtaining better results from these youth, at the cognitive and emotional levels, educators have higher expectations. Furthermore, relations between the youth, the doctor and the psychosocial worker, as well as the family and peer group tend to modify compliance behaviour. There is a constant desire expressed by the educators to make the youth and their parents more responsible.