en Psychiatry Psychiatry Original Research Original Research <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>Background: </strong>Considering the negative consequences of using physical restraints, we conducted this study to identify patients who are more frequently restrained in a psychiatric emergency ward as an initial step to limit the use of restraint to the minimum possible.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>  Methods</strong>: This was a retrospective case control study conducted in Iran Psychiatric Hospital in Tehran, Iran. We reviewed the files of 607 patients who were admitted during a one year period using convenience sampling of them, 186 were in the restrained group and 421 in the unrestrained group.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>  Results</strong>: Surprisingly, no significant difference was found between the restrained and unrestrained groups in demographic characteristics. The patients who were referred because of violence were diagnosed as having methamphetamine induced psychotic disorder or bipolar I disorder in manic 1episode and had a higher odds of being restrained (OR=2.51, OR=1.61, and OR=1.57 respectively). Being restrained was also associated with a longer duration of hospitalization and duration of staying in the emergency ward. Moreover, patients in their first admission were more frequently restrained.</p> <p dir="ltr" style="text-align: justify"><strong>  Conclusion</strong>: Medical and nursing staff should consider special measures for the patients who are at a higher risk for being restrained. More frequent visits and education for both patients and staff may be effective in reducing the number of physical restraints for these groups of patients.</p> <p></p> Physical Restraint, Psychiatric Emergency Settings, Case-Control Studies. 1169 1176 http://mjiri.iums.ac.ir/browse.php?a_code=A-10-1-926&slc_lang=en&sid=1 Fatemeh Hadi Fatemehadi88@yahoo.com 200319475328460019524 200319475328460019524 No Mental Health Research Center, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Termeh Khosravi 200319475328460019525 200319475328460019525 No Mental Health Research Center, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Seyed Vahid Shariat Shariat.v@iums.ac.ir 200319475328460019526 200319475328460019526 No Mental Health Research Center, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Amir Hossein Jalali Nadoushan jalali.ah@Iums.ac.ir 200319475328460019527 200319475328460019527 Yes Mental Health Research Center, Tehran Institute of Psychiatry, School of Behavioral Sciences and Mental Health, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.