Citation

Restifo S. Australas. Psychiatry 2010; 18(3): 226-229.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.3109/10398560903473678

PMID

20175671

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this paper is to touch on some aspects of patients' potentially ambivalent attitude toward change in the early stages of treatment.
METHOD: A de-identified case study is used as a springboard for discussing these issues.
CONCLUSION: A range of factors can affect a person's confidence in, commitment to, and results from their treatment. Some of these include: the patient feeling that the nature of their problem--including any ambivalence to change--has been adequately understood; the clinician expressing reassurance or encouragement only after due consideration; the clinician and patient discussing their respective expectations at the outset so as to minimize any subsequent disenchantment; and recognizing the possible presence of a patient's performance anxiety around fearing he or she may fail to respond to treatment and disappoint not only him- or herself but others as well.

Language: en

Keywords

Humans; Female; Middle Aged; Comprehension; Self Concept; Social Support; Treatment Failure; Suicide, Attempted; Physician-Patient Relations; Adaptation, Psychological; Empathy; Anxiety Disorders; Life Change Events; Trust; Depressive Disorder; Patient Compliance; Defense Mechanisms; Psychoanalytic Therapy; Patient Satisfaction