Abstract
BackgroundImproving attitudes of personnel towards self‐injurious patients leads to better working alliance and contributes to better patient outcomes. Previous research into the improvement of these attitudes has recorded the need for specific training in evidence‐based assessment and treatment of self‐injurious patients.AimThe current study describes the attitudes towards self‐injurious patients among psychiatric personnel. The study also evaluates the effect of a structured clinical training program on psychiatric personnel's attitudes towards patients who self‐injure. It further examines whether age, education, frequency of self‐injurious patients contact, and work experience of the personnel are associated with the existing attitudes.MethodsPsychiatric personnel (N = 50) attended a four‐day training program, presenting evidence‐based knowledge regarding self‐injury assessment and treatment, using group exercises and reflective learning principles. The personnel completed the Understanding Suicidal Patients Questionnaire (USP) anonymously PreTraining, on 17 January 2014, and PostTraining, on 20 June 2014. The mean differences as well as single USP items before and after the training were tested by unpaired t‐test. Two‐way ANOVA was used to test impact of background variables on the USP scores.ResultsThe training program had statistically significant impact (P < 0·01) on the following individual items of the USP scale: Patients who have tried to commit suicide are usually treated well in my work unit (d = 1·02); A person who has made several suicide attempt is at greater risk of committing suicide (d = 0·64); Because the patients who have tried to commit suicide have emotional problems, they need the best possible treatment (d = 0·57). The results also suggested that the frequency of patient contact had impact on attitudes towards self‐injurious patients.
Highlights
Suicide and self-injurious behavior (SIB) are substantial health problems worldwide
The training program had statistically significant impact (P < 0Á01) on the following individual items of the Understanding Suicidal Patients Questionnaire (USP) scale: Patients who have tried to commit suicide are usually treated well in my work unit (d = 1Á48 (0Á95) 3Á82 (1Á02)); A person who has made several suicide attempt is at greater risk of committing suicide (d = 0Á64); Because the patients who have tried to commit suicide have emotional problems, they need the best possible treatment (d = 0Á57)
The results suggested that the frequency of patient contact had impact on attitudes towards self-injurious patients
Summary
Suicide and self-injurious behavior (SIB) are substantial health problems worldwide. It has been estimated that over 800 000 people die due to suicide every year and for each adult who died of suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide (World Health Organization 2014).In Finland in 2012, the suicide rate per 100,000 people was 16Á1 (OSF 2014). Suicide and self-injurious behavior (SIB) are substantial health problems worldwide. It has been estimated that over 800 000 people die due to suicide every year and for each adult who died of suicide there may have been more than 20 others attempting suicide (World Health Organization 2014). In Finland in 2012, the suicide rate per 100,000 people was 16Á1 (OSF 2014). Suicide attempts are estimated to be 10-20 times more frequent. The official diagnostic system in Finland is the WHO’s classification system for a 2016 The Authors. Improving attitudes of personnel towards self-injurious patients leads to better working alliance and contributes to better patient outcomes. Previous research into the improvement of these attitudes has recorded the need for specific training in evidence-based assessment and treatment of self-injurious patients
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