ATTITUDE THERAPY

What is attitude?
- An attitude is the way one feels toward the individual or experience.
- The attitude of other people towards us is one of the most important
influences of our behavior.
- A part of the changed behavior can be changes in the attitudes of the
patients and co-workers leading toward a more adaptive and
productive live.
Attitude therapy
- is a treatment that emphasizes the evaluation of current attitudes in
terms of the origins of the attitudes, the purpose these attitudes serve,
-

and their possible distortions.

is aimed at modifying a patient's patterns of behavior which is viewed
as a group of symptoms, rather than one specific symptom.
Prescribed attitude maybe used consistently by all personnel in order
for the patients to receive maximum therapeutic value.
More than 1 attitude maybe prescribed if the patient is subject to
frequent changes in behavior.

"A person may engage in attitude therapy if they discover they are racist, for
example, and would like to change these attitudes." (Psychology Dictionary)
Five code for attitudes
1. Active Friendliness (AF)
The basic principle : to give attention to the patient before the patient
request it.
it is usually the attitude prescribed for the patients on the Reality
Orientation Program.
advisable for withdrawn, apathetic patients usually schizophrenics
Patient who is shy, aloope, isolated from others.
Assume the initiative in showing a consistent, genuine interest in the
patients and their needs 24 hours a day.

 These patients are treated with tender loving care and their personal needs
are attended to, like bathing, combing hair, cutting fingernails, etc.
Give sincere praise for accomplishment that shows progress.
Seek patient out and spend extra time with him/her.

Therapist makes even the simplest decision because the patient should
not be allowed to fail.

Give them a reason to want to be active and not withdraw.

Therapist needs to be very verbally supportive.

2. Passive Friendliness (PF)

indicated for suspicious or
problems.

paranoid patients with latent homosexual

frightened by active friendliness or closeness.

Suspicious patients see the environment as being against them.
Nurse must maintain distance because paranoid patient hates too much
closeness but make the patient feels that you are just around and willing
anytime he needs you.
Real interest is shown by being available and alert but not pushing.
Wait for the patient to make the first move and respond accordingly.

Therapist needs to make it very obvious they are always available.

Pick an activity for them to engage in that they will be immediately

successful in.

Example:
Patient: Ayoko sa yo !!! Lumayo ka sa akin!
Nurse: Nandito lang ako sa nurse station kung kailangan mo ako.
3. Kind Firmness (KF)
Purpose: To put a depressed patient to work in monotonous, ungratifying
repetitive work and to criticize not the patient but the way he is doing the
job.

- Indicated for depressed patient with suicidal tendencies, whose primary is

depression. Usually, the purpose of kind firmness and insistence upon under
gratifying work is to help him turn his hostility outward.
- This type of patients have inner hostility hence, the approach activities
provided must help these patients.
- Character of which is to be firm with depressed patients and instead of
sympathizing with their misery to make them work on monotonous,
ungratifying, repetitive work. The work gives him some muscle action and
something else to focus on besides on his own miseries.
-Patient is usually very angry, he will stride up and down the hallways and
may become quite abusive.

Take him/her outside to work off his excitement or let him workout on a
punching bag.

Therapist must stand their ground.

Therapist has to tell them they won't listen to them talk negatively.

4. Matter of Fact Attitude (MF)

- Indicated for manipulative and demanding patients. Stick to the rules and
regulations.
- Be firm and consistent with your approaches or with what you say to these
patients.
- Character Disorders such as alcoholic, drug addicts and passive individuals.
These people are impatient with life. Their therapeutic need is to learn that
manipulation is unrewarding. We teach them to grow up and meet their
responsibilities.
- Explain the routine of the ward and follow rules and regulations.
- Example:
Patient: Mamaya na ako iinom ng gamot. Magpapahinga muna ako.
Nurse: Ngayon ang oras ng pag-inom ng gamot. Ito ang gamot mo.

Therapist has to state and stick to what they say and NOT deviate from
what they say.

5. No Demand Attitude (ND)

- Indicated for assaultive / combative patients
- Never approach the patient alone or he might perceive that you are
challenging him to fight.
- Ask the help of the members of the team and surround the patient so that
his hostilities may not be focused to the object of his anger. Likewise, a large
group surrounding him shall help diffuse his hostilities.
- Tell the patient that you (the group) will not harm him instead you are all
there to help him.

Therapist needs to show caring behaviors to show the person they

won't hurt them.

When they get out of control the therapist does nothing but just come
back to them later.

Disadvantages of Attitude therapy

(1) difficulty in attaining consistency and adequate training among all staff
members
(2) lack of applicability of some attitude prescriptions to settings other than
psychiatric
(3) general lack of existing research.

http://thenursingprofession.blogspot.com/2009/09/psychotherapeuticinterventions.html
http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED146526
http://psychologydictionary.org/attitude-therapy/