[Recent studies on the mental state of ventilated patients in intensive care units]

Studies which retrospectively deal with the psychic situation of the intensive care patient are criticised and a methodological approach is introduced to describe the actual psychic state of these patients. As an appropriate method of research we suggest to collect written pronouncements, to categorize them and to evaluate them by means of content analysis. Thus, in a first step, 470 written pronouncements of ICU patients are collected and rated. Afterwards emotional expressions are analysed by means of a procedure measuring the degree of anxiety and aggression. The results permit a description of the actual psychic situation of the ventilated patient. They reveal that the patient is primarily concentrated on his own physical condition. Likewise there is an extended need for communication and information. Aggressive impulses are mostly directed against the own self as evidenced by self-reproaches and self-criticism. Anxieties mainly include diffuse fears, fears of being injured and fears of dying. Like the disturbance of self-confidence they can be considered as a psychic reaction to the life-threatening disease. The reactions of ventilated patients are similar to those of critically ill but not ventilated patients. Specific reactions due to ventilation cannot be observed in this group of patients.