Citation

Whitman RM, Armao BB, Dent OB. Am. J. Psychiatry 1976; 133(4): 426-429.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1976, American Psychiatric Association)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

1267043

Abstract

The authors conducted a questionnaire survey among psychotherapists in psychiatry, psychology and social work to determine how many patients posed a threat to others or to the therapist and how many actually assaulted the therapist. They found that 9.2% of all patients seen by 101 therapists in one year presented a threat to others, 1.9% posed a physical threat to the therapist, and .63% actually assaulted the therapist. The authors conclude that attacks on a therapist are infrequent but almost inevitable and suggest the development of techniques for coping with assaultive patients that therapists can use in crisis situations.

Language: en