Violence in Mental Health Settings - Causes, Consequences, Management

Despite great improvement in service delivery, patient violence remains a major problem at mental health facilities. Focusing equally on causes, management, and prevention, this groundbreaking book represents the state of knowledge on this crucial topic.

Violence in Mental Health Settings brings together salient theories, valuable data, and real-world interventions in one accessible volume. The contributors include psychiatrists, nurses, researchers, and academics (many affiliated with the European Violence in Psychiatry Research Group), offering an integrative context for understanding patient aggression and identifying areas where research is lacking. Chapters review the latest theories of violence, proven prevention strategies, and examples of positive organizational change. Practical highlights include:

-Assessing and measuring risk: self- versus other-reporting scales

-How the ward environment can contribute to violence - or its prevention
-Best practice guidelines for verbal, physical, and pharmaceutical interventions
-Training issues and course development in violence management
-Professional coping after patient attacks
-Developing a non-violent culture at the institutional level

Throughout, the material is illustrated liberally with graphs and clinical case examples, and coverage bridges the patient-rights and zero-tolerance ends of the spectrum.

Therapists, nurses, social workers, and counselors in hospitals and other inpatient and community facilities will find Violence in Mental Health Settings a source of vital insights and ideas for future policy. Regardless of one's setting or specialty, the authors share a critical aim with their readers: a safer and more humane experience.

List of contents

Measurement and Epidemiology.- Assessing Aggression of Psychiatric Patients: Methods of Measurement and Its Prevalence.- The Psychology and Sociology of the Violent Incident.- Psychological Theories of Aggression: Principles and Application to Practice.- From the Individual to the Interpersonal: Environment and Interaction in the Escalation of Violence in Mental Health Settings.- Users' Perceptions and Views on Violence and Coercion in Mental Health.- Prediction and Management.- Diversity and Consistency in the Legal Management of Involuntary Admission and Treatment Across Europe.- Prediction of Violence in Inpatient Settings.- Nonphysical Conflict Management and Deescalation.- Coercive Measures in the Management of Imminent Violence: Restraint, Seclusion and Enhanced Observation.- The Pharmacological Management of Aggression.- Improving Staff Skills in Handling Management.- Aggression Management Training Programs: Contents, Implementation, and Organization.- The Effects of Aggression Management Training for Mental Health Care and Disability Care Staff: A Systematic Review.- The Organizational Context.- Locating Training Within a Strategic Organizational Response to Aggression and Violence.- Safety and Security in Psychiatric Clinical Environments.- Ward Culture and Atmosphere.- Consequences: Handling the Aftermath.- Psychological Responses Following Exposure to Violence.

About the author

Dr. phil. Dirk Richter ist Krankenpfleger und Soziologe sowie ist Qualitätsbeauftragter und wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter der Westfälischen Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie Münster.

Summary

Despite great improvement in service delivery, patient violence remains a major problem at mental health facilities. Focusing equally on causes, management, and prevention, this groundbreaking book represents the state of knowledge on this crucial topic.

Violence in Mental Health Settings brings together salient theories, valuable data, and real-world interventions in one accessible volume. The contributors include psychiatrists, nurses, researchers, and academics (many affiliated with the European Violence in Psychiatry Research Group), offering an integrative context for understanding patient aggression and identifying areas where research is lacking. Chapters review the latest theories of violence, proven prevention strategies, and examples of positive organizational change. Practical highlights include:

-Assessing and measuring risk: self- versus other-reporting scales

-How the ward environment can contribute to violence – or its prevention

-Best practice guidelines for verbal, physical, and pharmaceutical interventions

-Training issues and course development in violence management

-Professional coping after patient attacks

-Developing a non-violent culture at the institutional level

Throughout, the material is illustrated liberally with graphs and clinical case examples, and coverage bridges the patient-rights and zero-tolerance ends of the spectrum.

Therapists, nurses, social workers, and counselors in hospitals and other inpatient and community facilities will find Violence in Mental Health Settings a source of vital insights and ideas for future policy. Regardless of one’s setting or specialty, the authors share a critical aim with their readers: a safer and more humane experience.

Additional text

From the reviews:

"Violence in Mental Health Settings, is aimed at educating the reader in research into violence in mental health settings and does so very well. … It includes practical recommendations and will be useful to anyone working in an impatient setting. … If you read … you will get a good overall view of where to start in dealing with violence and managing future risk of violence." (Dr. Sarah Gladden, The Psychologist, October, 2007)

"This edited text brings together many well-known authors, giving a truly international flavour to the subject matter. … It gives the reader a wealth of evidence in relation to theories, interventions and data on violence in mental heath settings. The depth and detail of this text is a strength … . Individual chapters are extremely informative … . editors make the claim that this text is aimed at therapists, nurses, social workers and counsellors. … should be read by those looking to develop future policy." (Tracey Cassidy, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2007)

Report

From the reviews:

"Violence in Mental Health Settings, is aimed at educating the reader in research into violence in mental health settings and does so very well. ... It includes practical recommendations and will be useful to anyone working in an impatient setting. ... If you read ... you will get a good overall view of where to start in dealing with violence and managing future risk of violence." (Dr. Sarah Gladden, The Psychologist, October, 2007)
"This edited text brings together many well-known authors, giving a truly international flavour to the subject matter. ... It gives the reader a wealth of evidence in relation to theories, interventions and data on violence in mental heath settings. The depth and detail of this text is a strength ... . Individual chapters are extremely informative ... . editors make the claim that this text is aimed at therapists, nurses, social workers and counsellors. ... should be read by those looking to develop future policy." (Tracey Cassidy, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 2007)

Product details

• Authors: Richter
• Assisted by: Dir Richter (Editor), Dirk Richter (Editor), Whittington (Editor), Whittington (Editor), Richard Whittington (Editor)
• Publisher: Springer, Berlin
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 11.12.2006
• EAN: 9780387339641
• ISBN: 978-0-387-33964-1
• No. of pages: 347
• Weight: 656 g
• Illustrations: XVI, 347 p. 19 illus.
• Subjects: Humanities, art, music > Psychology > Applied psychology; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > General; Psychologie, B, PSYCHOLOGY / Psychopathology / General, PSYCHOLOGY / Clinical Psychology, Psychology, PSYCHOLOGY / Mental Health, Clinical psychology, Health psychology, Behavioral Sciences and Psychology, Behavioral Science and Psychology, General Psychology, Clinical health psychology