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Current use of de-escalation strategies: Similarities and differences in de-escalation across professions

ABSTRACT De-escalation is a skill most commonly discussed in mental health settings, but it occurs across professions in fields such as law enforcement, nursing, and customer service. While much of the literature describes what could be done to de-escalate someone, we know very little about what is actually being done in practice. In this study, we survey 56 professionals with expertise in de-escalation about the strategies that they use to help people in distress. Using group concept mapping, multidimensional scaling, and cluster analysis, we provide a description of similarities and differences in what mental health providers rate as most important as compared to those working in other professions. Findings suggest that across professions, communication, body language, listening and validation are considered highly important for effective de-escalation. Although both groups also emphasize environmental safety, safety was less of a primary concern for mental health professionals. Applications for these findings are discussed.