Rethinking interactions with mental health patients

person's head

New research overturns the belief that people with severe mental illness are incapable of effective communication with their psychiatrist, and are able to work together with them to achieve better outcomes for themselves.

鈥淚nterviews are a critical part of assessing people suffering from thought disorder (TD), and deciding what the best therapy is for them,鈥 says Professor Cherrie Galletly from the Adelaide Medical School, 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide.

鈥淐linical interactions with people suffering with severe mental illness can be challenging, especially if the patient has disordered communication.鈥

Published in the journal the study analysed 24 routine clinical interviews between psychiatrists and inpatients, with a mean age of just under 30 years, who were suffering from TD.

鈥淭he study, the first of its kind, examined the expertise with which psychiatrists conducted clinical interviews of people suffering from TD, and the shared goals that were accomplished,鈥 says Professor Galletly.

鈥淲hen interviewing people with TD psychiatrists need to adopt a mindset that the information the patient provides in that particular moment is, for them, meaningful, truthful, relevant and clear.

鈥淔indings from this study of sample interviews between psychiatrists and their patients highlight the need to rethink the notion that patients experiencing TD are incapable of communicating productively with the people trying to help them."Professor Cherrie Galletly

鈥淭hey have to piece together snippets of information in order to create and interpret meaning and build respectful relationships by inviting patients to share their perspectives no matter how disordered or delusional their responses appear.鈥

Thought disorder is common in psychotic disorders. The thoughts and conversation of people suffering from TD appear illogical and lacking in sequence and may be delusional or bizarre in content.

In 2010, 0.3% of 最新糖心Vlogns aged 18-64 years, had a psychotic illness with men aged 25-34 experiencing the highest rates (0.5%) of illness.

鈥淧atients are positioned as active participants by psychiatrists who adopt a non-confrontational, non-judgemental approach, conveying support and safety, and ask open ended questions which allows the patient to engage, feel listened to, and work with the psychiatrist to achieve a shared understanding,鈥 says Professor Galletly.

鈥淔indings from this study of sample interviews between psychiatrists and their patients highlight the need to rethink the notion that patients experiencing TD are incapable of communicating productively with the people trying to help them.

鈥淧sychiatrists use transactional, relational and interactional techniques when they are talking to patients with thought disorder, which go beyond techniques normally employed in clinical interviews.

鈥淓xperienced psychiatrists undertake meaningful interviews with these patients, who in turn respond in ways that belie the notion that effective communication is not possible.

鈥淭he findings from this research can be used to develop training resources for clinicians who work with people with psychotic disorders.鈥

Tagged in psychiatrist, mental healthy, communication