Psychiatry is a challenging setting that requires extraordinary effort from the staff.
Healthcare workers in the field of psychiatry face substantial levels of violence,
making the identification of abuse risk factors a social concern. Both the conduct
of the children and their relatives can pose potential harm. Our study delved into
the criminological and psychiatric factors underlying violence against healthcare
workers.MethodologyWe
used qualitative, semi-structured, self-developed, online questionnaire involving
21 respondents. The participants were representing the staff composition of our department.
The data set was coded in two phases using a multi-stage content analysis method.
The results were compared with Hungarian and international literature.FindingsAmong
the participants, 52% reported no instances of physical abuse. The most prevalent
form of perceived non-contact abuse was threats, accounting for 38% of reported cases.
The identified risk factors for abuse included the child’s psychiatric disorder, communication
issues, parental behavior, and low socio-economic status. Psychological trauma was
identified as the most severe consequence. The respondents’ opinion indicated that
the most common cause of violence (52%) was attributed to the child’s mental disorder.
Workers primarily deal with abuse through negative emotions, with 76% of them reporting
feelings of victimization. Additionally, 43% believed that abuse cannot be avoided,
while 19% emphasized the significance of worker competence.ValueOur
research can help to identify risk factors in child psychiatry wards and provide guidance
for developing effective responses to violence against healthcare workers in Hungary,
especially at our ward.
