Measuring Feelings of Staff Members Towards Their Most Complex Female and Male Forensic Psychiatric Patients: A Pilot Study into Gender Differences

ABSTRACT

It has been suggested that female forensic psychiatric patients evoke different or stronger feelings in their treatment staff compared to male forensic patients. More specifically, it has been stated that it can be more difficult and emotionally draining to work with women as they are seen as more manipulative and demanding than men (Lewis, 2006). However, there is not much empirical research to support this suggestion. In this pilot study, 146 staff members working in a gender-mixed forensic psychiatric hospital filled out the Feeling Word Checklist 30-item version for their most complex, demanding, female and male patient. Overall, it was found that staff members felt more helpful, accepting, strong, relaxed, affectionate, sympathetic, and receptive towards their most complex female forensic patient and more anxious, threatened and overwhelmed by their most complex male forensic patient. Differences were found between more experienced and less experienced staff members as well as between female and male staff members. Staff members working over 5 years in this hospital experienced much fewer differences in feelings towards female and male patients. Less experienced staff had significantly more positive feelings towards female patients and more negative feelings towards male patients. Female staff members usually felt more strong and in control with female patients and more overwhelmed by male patients. Male staff members felt more angry with male patients and more receptive towards female patients. Compared to female staff members, male staff members felt more cautious and embarrassed with female patients. It was concluded that there are substantial differences in feelings of staff members towards female and male forensic patients, with staff reporting predominantly more positive feelings towards women. More training, intervision, and support with respect to working in forensic gender-mixed settings would be valuable, especially for mental health professionals who are early in their career. Finally, suggestions are provided for future research into this topic.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender
• countertransference feelings

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank Loes Hoevers, Lisanne de Hoop, Clarissa van Ieperen, and Nicole Wagenmakers for their valuable help with his study and all staff members of the Van der Hoeven Kliniek who participated in this study.

Notes

¹ The open-ended questions are available from the authors upon request.

² The feeling Motherly in the FWC-30 may not seem logical to rate for males. It would possibly be better if the item was called Motherly/Fatherly.

³ It should be mentioned that in nonclinical populations, the prevalence rates of self-harm are similar for men and women (e.g., Klonsky, Oltmanns, & Turkheimer, 2003).