Acceptability of interventions for aggressive behavior in long-term care settings: comparing ratings and hierarchical selection

Fifty-six active treatment team members in long-term nursing care facilities completed an online survey assessing treatment acceptability of modern behavioral, pharmacological, and sensory interventions. A traditional treatment acceptability rating scale was compared to treatment selections in a paired-options format. Unlike earlier research, there were no significant differences in acceptability between the 3 interventions on the traditional rating scale. However, ratings and selections were significantly correlated for behavioral and pharmacological interventions. The clinical significance of such relations and the implications for the use of treatment ratings is discussed.