Forensic nurses' perceptions of labels of mental illness and personality disorder: clinical versus management issues

MASON, T.; HALL, R.; CAULFIED, M.; MELLING, K.

Abstract

Accessible summary
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We often use labels to describe how a person might be expected to behave.

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Our shared understanding of the behaviours that are circumscribed by the labels may lead us to anticipate those behaviours.

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Those that are labelled also know what behaviours are expected and may act them out accordingly.

Anecdotally, forensic psychiatric nurses generally have a more negative perception of people diagnosed with a personality disorder and this negativity is focused more towards managing the behaviours rather than on treatment efficacy and clinical outcomes. This study reports on research carried out across the High, Medium and Low secure psychiatric services in the UK. One thousand two hundred questionnaires were distributed with a response rate of 34.6%. The results indicated a statistically significant difference across High (z= 9.69; P≤ 0.01), Medium (z= 11.06; P≤ 0.01) and Low (z= 9.57; P= 0.01) security with a focus on the management of people with a personality disorder using the Wilcoxon paired samples test. There was also a statistically significant difference in relation to a more clinical/treatment focus for those with a diagnosis of mental illness in Medium (z= 9.69; P≤ 0.01) and Low (z= 9.57; P≤ 0.01) security but not in the High security services. Finally, the results showed significant differences between High, Medium and Low security on each of the four scales of Personality Disorder Clinical–Personality Disorder Management and Mental Illness Clinical–Mental Illness Management. This raises issues of stigma, prejudice and discrimination and suggests a refocus on skills development, acquisition and application for those with a label of personality disorder.

Citation

MASON, T., HALL, R., CAULFIED, M., & MELLING, K. (2010). Forensic nurses' perceptions of labels of mental illness and personality disorder: clinical versus management issues. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing, 17(2), 131-140. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01483.x

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Feb 9, 2010
• Deposit Date: Jun 19, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing
• Print ISSN: 1351-0126
• Electronic ISSN: 1365-2850
• Publisher: Wiley
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 131-140
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2850.2009.01483.x