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How Clinicians Can Reduce "Bullied Acquiescence"
1Programs in Medical Ethics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, Maryland 20814 USA. edmund.howe@uhuhs.edu.
The Journal of Clinical Ethics
|April 6, 2016
Summary
Patient-clinician conflicts can be resolved through mediation, but beware of "bullied acquiescence." This occurs when parties feel pressured into unwanted agreements, leading to unstable resolutions. Learn how to prevent this outcome.
Area of Science:
- Medical Ethics
- Conflict Resolution
- Health Psychology
Background:
- Disagreements between clinicians, patients, and families regarding treatment are common.
- These conflicts can appear intractable, necessitating external intervention.
- Mediation and similar approaches are often employed to resolve healthcare disputes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the phenomenon of "bullied acquiescence" in treatment conflicts.
- To identify mechanisms leading to unwilling agreement under pressure.
- To provide strategies for avoiding such suboptimal resolutions.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of conflict dynamics in clinical decision-making.
- Exploration of psychological pressures during mediation.
- Case study review (implied).
Main Results:
- "Bullied acquiescence" arises from undue pressure during conflict resolution.
- Unwilling agreements reached under duress are frequently unstable and prone to unraveling.
- Understanding the pressures is key to preventing coerced consent.
Conclusions:
- Healthcare providers must recognize and mitigate pressures that lead to acquiescence.
- Strategies should focus on facilitating genuine agreement, not just resolution.
- Avoiding "bullied acquiescence" promotes more durable and ethical treatment plans.
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