Abstract
Objectives
The authors sought to determine the prevalence of threats and assaults by patients on psychiatry residents, their consequences, and the perceived adequacy of supports and institutional responses.
Methods
Authors conducted an anonymous survey of 519 psychiatry residents in 13 psychiatry programs across the United States. The survey questionnaire inquired about residents’ experiences of threats and assaults by patients during their residency training.
Results
The response rate for this survey was 39% (N=204). Residents were most commonly threatened (N=175; 86%), physically intimidated (N=145; 71%) or received unwanted advances (N=118; 58%). One-quarter (N=51; 25%) were physically assaulted. Most of the incidents occurred in inpatient settings (N=92; 45%).
Conclusion
This study, like previous studies on this topic, calls attention to the high number of residents that are affected by violence during their training, and it underscores the need to protect the safety of psychiatry residents and to support those who have been victimized.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Schwartz TL, Park TL: Assaults by patients on psychiatric residents: a survey and training recommendations. Psychiatr Serv 1999; 50:381–383
Chaimowitz GA, Moscovitch A: Patient assaults on psychiatric residents: the Canadian experience. Can J Psychiatry 1991; 36:107–111
Fink D, Shoyer B, Dubin WR: A study of assaults against psychiatric residents. Acad Psychiatry 1991; 15:94–99
Black KJ, Compton WM, Wetzel M, et al: Assaults by patients on psychiatric residents at three training sites. Hosp Community Psychiatry 1994; 45:706–710
Gray GE: Assaults by patients against residents at a public psychiatric hospital. Acad Psychiatry 1989; 13:81–86
Coverdale JH, Gale C, Weeks S, et al: A survey of threats and violent acts by patients against training physicians. Med Educ 2001; 35:154–159
Coverdale JH, Louie AK, Roberts LW: Protecting the safety of medical students and residents. Acad Psychiatry 2005; 29:329–331
Ho J, Ralston DC, McCullough LB, et al: When should psychiatrists seek criminal prosecution of assaultive psychiatric inpatients? Psychiatr Serv 2009; 60:1113–1117
Horowitz M, Wilner N, Alvarez W: Impact of Events Scale: a measure of subjective stress. Psychosom Med 1979; 41:209–218
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dvir, Y., Moniwa, E., Crisp-Han, H. et al. Survey of Threats and Assaults by Patients on Psychiatry Residents. Acad Psychiatry 36, 39–42 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.10060090
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ap.10060090