Objective:

To explore how individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), their relatives, and direct support professionals perceive and experience shared decision-making (SDM) in psychotropic medication-related decisions.

Approach:

• Study Design: Qualitative interview study using a phenomenological approach, involving semi-structured interviews with individuals with ID, their relatives, and direct support professionals.
• Data Collection: Interviews were co-developed with experts by experience, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Key Findings:

• Seven themes identified: communication and relationship with clinicians, understandable and tailored information provision, decision-making and patient influence, medication and treatment choices, involvement of relatives in collaboration with professionals, accessibility and continuity of care, and impact on daily life and functioning.
• Relational dynamics, communication quality, and organizational conditions shape SDM in psychotropic medication for people with ID.
• Meaningful involvement requires accessible information, inclusion of relatives and support professionals, and collaborative care practices.

Interpretation:

The study clarifies how SDM is experienced in the context of psychotropic medication for individuals with ID.

Limitations:

• The study's qualitative nature may limit generalizability.
• Potential biases in participant selection and interview responses.

Conclusion:

The findings highlight the importance of shared decision-making practices in psychotropic medication for individuals with ID.