Influence of death of the patient on the formation of mechanisms of psychological protection in doctors

Abstract

The aim of this paper was to study the psychological defence mechanisms in healthcare practitioners after the death of patients in their professional engagement. Materials and methods. In our work, we have employed the ‘Life Style Index’ test (Plutcheck, Kellerman, Conte, 1979) aimed at diagnosing psychological defence mechanisms. The author has traced the formation of psychological defence mechanisms to the corresponding emotions and to the solution of universal problems of adaptation. He has suggested eight defence mechanisms: repression, denial, regression, displacement, projection, compensation, overcompensation and rationalization. We have identified the usage pattern of psychological defence mechanisms by healthcare professionals in different focus areas. The study involved doctors of various specialties. They were divided into a group that often encounters the death of patients and a second group that has no such experience. Results. By analyzing the data, we observe that for group A, displacement (30.43%) and rationalization (26.09%) are common and have a beneficial effect on the healthcare professional’s work by being more cognizant, flexible and controllable. In group B, repression (25.92%), displacement (18.52%) and overcompensation (14.81%) were preponderant. Less adaptive are the mechanisms of repression and displacement, which may lend themselves inferior to control or are chosen as more appropriate for the individual. Repression and overcompensation are primarily inherent in women, while displacement and rationalization are inherent in men in both groups of subjects. By maturity of psychological defence mechanisms, study groups A use for the most part mature ones and study groups B employ combined ones (both mature and immature mechanisms). The low level of projection attests to the effectiveness of defence mechanisms, as well as to the moral and mental stability of the health-care workers surveyed. Conclusions. A reliable psychological defense mechanism allows a person to maintain a state of dynamic balance, homeostasis, and also helps to adapt to complex, unpredictable situations. At the level of theoretical operationalization of the studied psychological defenses there is a tendency to identify their functional features in the professional activities of the individual. Therefore, their task is to reduce emotional stress, displace the traumatic experience, which is an important point in overcoming the destruction of the doctor’s personality.