Factors Associated with the Use of Restraints in the Public Schools

The improper use of reported restraints has been associated with serious injury and death in both mental health and school settings. However, there is currently no federal legislation that regulates the use of reported restraints in the schools in contrast to health care facilities (e.g., Children’s Health Act of 2000). As children with disabilities are significantly more likely to experience restraint events, we examined what variables may predict the use of reported restraints in the public schools among these children. Results indicate that schools with lower socioeconomic status and located in states that did not prohibit corporal punishment or regulate the use of reported restraints in the schools experienced more reported restraint events.