Staff assaults and injuries in a psychiatric hospital as a function of three attitudinal variables

Although the available research makes reference to the connection between staff attitudes and patient assault, solid evidence of the connection is lacking. This investigation sought to examine 3 attitudinal variables that in the literature seemed to have the strongest relation to staff assaults and injuries. External locus of control, anxiety, and authoritarianism on the part of staff were examined in relation to the experience of assaults and injuries. A sample of 78 staff members working at a psychiatric hospital responded to a survey; results indicated an associative relationship between both a more external locus of control and high trait anxiety and employees' experience of work-related injuries. Associations also were noted between both locus of control and authoritarianism and employees' frequency of assault and injury experiences. The findings provide important information that suggests that locus of control, authoritarianism, and trait anxiety on the part of staff members are connected with patient assaults and injuries.