- Title
- Communicating a schizophrenia diagnosis to patients and families: a qualitative study of mental health clinicians
- Creator
- Outram, Sue; Harris, Gillian; Kelly, Brian; Cohen, Martin; Sandhu, Harsimrat; Vamos, Marina; Levin, Tomer T.; Landa, Yulia; Bylund-Lincoln, Carma L.; Loughland, Carmel
- Relation
- Psychiatric Services Vol. 65, Issue 4, p. 551-554
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201300202
- Publisher
- American Psychiatric Publishing
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2014
- Description
- Objective: The aim of this research was to explore mental health clinicians’ experiences and perceptions of discussing a diagnosis of schizophrenia with their patients. The results of this research will inform a communication skills training program for psychiatry trainees. Methods: Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 mental health clinicians from public mental health services in New South Wales, Australia. Interviews were recorded and transcribed for qualitative analysis. Results: Although most clinicians supported the need to give patients a named diagnosis of schizophrenia, most gave multiple reasons for not doing so in practice. The reasons given centered on concerns for the patient; they included fear of making an incorrect diagnosis, fear of the patient’s distress, and harm from stigma. Conclusions: Mental health clinicians need to reflect on their own feelings, examine personal identification with their patients, and recognize the subtle interplay of hope and pessimism in their communication of a schizophrenia diagnosis.
- Subject
- mental health; schizophrenia; qualitative study; mental health clinicians
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1303652
- Identifier
- uon:20699
- Identifier
- ISSN:1075-2730
- Language
- eng
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