The social portrait of patient with acquired helplessness

The phenomenon of acquired helplessness is a social fact negatively impacting physician-patient interaction. The acquired helplessness prevents convalescence of patient and decreases therapeutic effect of treatment. The study was carried out to establish social portrait of patient with acquired helplessness. In the course of study relationship of risk of development of acquired helplessness depending on gender, age, family status, education, occurrence of diseases were revealed; the behavior of patients with acquired helplessness in conditions of hospital was analyzed; the leading type of attitude of patients with acquired helplessness to their disease was determined; the manifestations of helplessness in behavior of patients with acquired helplessness were typologized. The technique of questionnaire survey of patients was implemented in state medical institutions of Volgograd. To process questionnaires the technique comparative analysis was applied. The analysis of established behavioral characteristics, social expectations and attitudes to process of treatment and medical personnel the social portrait of patient with acquired helplessness was outlined as follows: woman of elder age, no higher education, low valuation of one's welfare and quality of life. In conditions of hospital, patients with acquired helplessness manifest passive deconditioning behavior preventing achievement of positive therapeutic effect.

acquired helplessness, social portrait, interaction, behavioral characteristics