The young people, all from child and adolescent mental health services in four UK sites, described how their relationships with nursing staff might influence their progress during treatment.
The researchers interviewed the participants extensively and identified six themes that described therapeutic relationships, their development, and maintenance.
One theme focused on the feeling that therapeutic relationships are treatment in their own right.
Dr. Harley said, “Therapeutic relationships they are particularly relevant in child and adolescent mental health services where relationships are especially complex and difficult to develop and maintain.
“Our analysis indicates that youth, families, and nursing staff agree that these relationships are crucial to successful outcomes. These groups would be better served by a system that prioritizes the formation and maintenance of effective therapeutic relationships.
“This requires the right amount of staff, training and time to cultivate connection and do ‘normal’ things together.
“Aspects of the workforce that could impact the success of this also need to be considered, such as staff retention, where continuity of care and relationships can be hampered.”
He added: “The balance between being human and being professional is tricky and could benefit from the support of ‘live’ focused staff along with more static training and supervision.
“We hope that the testimonials of these patients, nurses and parents, and our analysis will serve to encourage policymakers, service administrators and clinicians to focus on therapeutic relationships as essential to hospital care for patients. quality, and provide them with structures, support and importance. They deserve it.”
Citation: Hartley S, Redmond T, Berry K (2022) Therapeutic relationships within child and adolescent mental health inpatient services: a qualitative exploration of the experiences of youth, family members, and nursing staff. PLOS ONE 17(1): e0262070. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0262070
An animated summary video is available here
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