Psychology of Coping with Violence in the Health Service with Anthropological Perspective
The framework of the course „Psychology of coping with violence in health service“ consists of two individual blocks: (1) anthropology of aggressive and violent behaviour and cultural diferences, (2) psychology of violent behaviour and its prevention. The aim is
to develop some guidelines for hospital personnel to detect potential violent person and to understand the cultural and social differences influencing the emergence of violence in health service. The course is a training program that focuses on comprehension of psychological, social, economic and cultural factors, leading to violently expressed aggression in health service, verbal as well as nonverbal.
Objectives of the course:
Specification of the output knowledge and professional competences and skills
The student completing the part of course Prevention of violence in health care named, Psychology of coping violence in health service, will be able to:
* understand basic health and psychological concepts and models of health and disease,
* understand basic cultural and social concepts and models of health, illness and treatment
* understand psychosocial factors influencing violence in health service,
* gain ability of divergent thinking, critical judgment, creativity and overcoming problems,
* develop psychosocial competence,
* develop sensitivity to ethical questions and dilemmas,
* develop sensitivity for the user perspective and individualised approach assistance,
* understand cultural and social factors influencing the management of stress, aggression and violence.
By the end of the course, the applicant will be able to:
* Predict and perceive verbal as well as non-verbal signs of violence,
* Understand the psychological drives of violent behaviour and basic psychological techniques to avoid the most common causes of violent behavior of patients,
* Understand the difference between aggression and violence in different cultural contexts,
* Understand the cultural, social and economic factors leading to violent behaviour,
* Act in accordance to psychological theory of Logotherapy, developed by Viktor Frankl
* Address and treat the patient taking into consideration the cultural and social specifics of the individual,
* Implement divergent thinking, critical judgment, creativity and overcoming problems,
* Act in accordance to cultural and social differences.
Contents of the course:
* Psychosocial factors of physical psychological pain and assistance interventions.
* The basis of medical psychology, its contribution to the preservation and strengthening of health, to prevention and treatment of diseases and its carriers and to etiological issues.
* Psychosocial factors of violence appearance in health service
* Psychology of violence and coping
* Man (patient), physical, mental and the spiritual being.
* Basics of psychosocial counselling for patients.
* Needs of patients, cultural and social discourse.
* Cultural and social differences in attitude toward heath, illness and treatment
* Patient – health worker.
* Stress and emotion accompanying patients.
* Mental health of the patient - preventive and curative care.
* Quality of life.
* Spatial vacuum of the patient - preventive / curative.
* Existential crisis and a crisis of meaning of the patient - preventive / curative.
* Stress and the occurrence of violence.
* Stress Relievers: ways of coping and help and support in the environment.
* Chronic physical illness and their impact on mental health - psychological aspects.
* Patient reactions to admission to the hospital. Appropriate preparation of the patient for stress-based procedures. Support and assistance in the waiting phase at the operational intervention.
* Psychological reactions to the body injuries and losses.
* Situation of loss - mourning processes. Combustion problems between healthcare professionals.
* Cultural and social factors influencing the management of stress and aggression
Study equipment:
Static video camera, documentation, chairs, mattresses,
Study literature:
Lukas, E. (2001). Tudi tvoje trpljenje ima smisel. Celje: Mohorjeva družba.
Musek, Janek (2006): Osebnost, samopodoba in psihično zdravje. Anthropos 1–2: 51–75.
Frankl, V.E. (2015). Zdravnik in duša. Celje: Mohorjeva družba.
Barton, A. R., 2007. Evolution of the Social Brain as a Distributed Neural System. In: The
Oxford Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, ed. Dunbar, R. I. M., Barrett, L., New York:
Oxford University Press, pp. 129-144.
Bateson, G., 1972. Steps to an Ecology of Mind. Chicago: The University of Chicago Press.
Berkowitz, L., 1993. Aggression: It's Causes, Consequences and Control. New York: McGraw-Hill Press.
Berkowitz, L., 1998. Affective Aggression: The Role of Stress, Pain, and Negative Affect. In:
Human Aggression: Theories, Research, and Implications for Social Policy, ed. Geen, G. R.,
Donnerstein, E., San Diego: Academic Press, pp. 49-72.
Bromley, D. G., Melton, G. J., 2002. Cults, Religion and Violence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.