Tvang i psykisk helsevern: En sammenligning av holdninger blant ansatte og pasienter

Aim: Few studies have compared attitudes to coercion in both patients and healthcare professionals, and the Staff Attitude to Coercion Scale (SACS) has not previously been used in Norway. The purpose of the current study was to examine differences in staff and patient attitudes using SACS. Method: The study included 1160 employees and 332 patients. Factor analysis was used to compare SACS's three-factor model across the two groups. Independent t-tests were used to compare staff and patient attitudes on the three SACS dimensions: coercion as potentially offensive and/or harmful to the patient, coercion as care and safety, and coercion as treatment. Results: We found statistically significant differences between staff and patients' reported attitudes on two SACS dimensions. Patients reported coercion as more offensive and/or harmful than did with staff (t (495) = 7.96, p <.001). Staff reported coercion as care and safety to a higher degree than did patients (t (444) = -5.91, p <.001). Conclusion: The results suggest the presence of attitudinal differences between patients and staff. One limitation of the study is that SACS has not been validated for use by patients. Generally, the results imply a discrepancy in attitudes that may lead to a weak treatment alliance between staff and patients. Keywords: coercion, mental health care, ethical challenges, SACS, staff-patient alliance.