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Psychiatric and Mental Health Nurses' Beliefs about Therapeutic Paradox
Author(s) -
HIRSCHMANN MARK J.
Publication year - 1989
Publication title -
journal of child and adolescent psychiatric nursing
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.331
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1744-6171
pISSN - 1073-6077
DOI - 10.1111/j.1744-6171.1989.tb00355.x
Subject(s) - mental health , psychiatry , psychology , medline , psychotherapist , medicine , political science , law
Therapeutic paradox is a subject that elicits divergent opinions among psychiatric and mental health nurses. In a study of a random, systematic sample of psychiatric nurses (N = 1651, more than one‐half of the respondents used paradox and a larger majority of respondents considered paradox to be an appropriate psychotherapeutic intervention, although there were expressions of professional and ethical reservation. In addition to holding more negative beliefs about manipulation, threats to the therapeutic relationship, and deception, the non‐users of paradox were significantly less willing to refer friends for paradoxical treatment.