Three hours of training improve psychiatric staff's self-perceived knowledge and attitudes toward problem-drinking...

Staff attitudes are an important factor in the successful implementation of systematic alcohol strategies and policies. The forms and extent of training needed to improve therapeutic attitude among psychiatric staff to problem drinking are unclear. The aim of the investigation was to study the knowledge and attitudes of psychiatric staff toward problem-drinking patients. A further aim was to investigate whether a short 3 h training is sufficient to improve knowledge and therapeutic attitude toward problem drinking.

A tailored training model for psychiatric staff (non-physicians) was carried out at a medium size university clinic. Participants were medical (nurses and psychiatric aides) and non-medical staff (psychologists and social workers). The training consisted of a 2 h workshop and a 1 h follow-up session. Knowledge and attitudes were measured at baseline and follow up by a questionnaire including vignettes assessment and the Short Alcohol and Alcohol Problems Perception Questionnaire.

In total, 115 persons completed the questionnaire (follow-up rate 83.5%). The distribution was even (50% for the medical and 50% for the non-medical staff). After training, the non-medical staff estimated vignette case severity higher than before. Both staff groups estimated their capacity to help a patient with complex problems higher after training. Role adequacy was higher in both subgroups after training. Medical staff scored work satisfaction higher after the training.

Three hours of tailored training for psychiatric staff improve their knowledge and therapeutic attitude to problem-drinking patients.