[Psychiatric hospitals--an institutionalized defense system. I]

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Sociology
• Clinical Psychology

Background:

• A rural psychiatric hospital initiated a "sociopsychiatric satellite" unit, abandoning traditional treatment models.
• Early stages revealed pathological group processes threatening to engulf all staff and patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the dynamics of a pathological group process within a new psychiatric unit.
• To investigate the underestimated role of patients in institutional dynamics.
• To describe defense mechanisms against pathological symbiosis in psychiatric settings.

Main Methods:

• Observational analysis of group dynamics and staff counter-transference reactions.
• Qualitative assessment of institutional processes.
• Theoretical framework drawing from Mentzos' concept of symbiosis.

Main Results:

• Patient-induced pathological group dynamics emerged, involving all levels of staff.
• Counter-transference reactions revealed hidden institutional dynamics.
• Patient influence on institutional creation and reproduction was significant.

Conclusions:

• The role of patients in shaping psychiatric institutions is often underestimated.
• Defense mechanisms against pathological symbiosis are crucial for psychiatric treatment institutions.
• Understanding these dynamics is essential for effective psychiatric care and institutional functioning.