A Hospital Riot: Its Determinants and Implications for Treatment
RICHARD C. MAROHN M.D.1,
DIANE DALLE-MOLLE R.N., M.S.2,
DANIEL OFFER M.D.3, , and
ERIC OSTROV 4
1 Director, Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, 1601 West Taylor St., Chicago, Ill. 60612 and Associate Attending Psychiatrist, Psychosomatic and Psychiatric Institute, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Ill.
2 Milieu Staff Supervisor, Delinquent Adolescent Program, Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, 1601 West Taylor St., Chicago, Ill. 60612
3 Associate Director, Psychosomatic and Psychiatric Institute, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Ill.
4 Research Associate, Adolescent Program, Illinois State Psychiatric Institute, 1601 West Taylor St., Chicago, Ill. 60612 and Research Associate, Psychosomatic and Psychiatric Institute, Michael Reese Hospital, Chicago, Ill.
Several factors were responsible for a riot on an inpatient treatment unit for delinquent adolescents: individual dynamics of patients and staff, group problems of patients and staff, and issues involving the entire patient-staff group. The unit is viewed as an open system comprising the individual dynamics of staff and patients as well as their interrelationships. Achieving and maintaining internal homeostasis are essential to that organism. The authors discuss the implications of their findings for hospital treatment.
