How Stressful Is Examining Children with Symptoms of Child Abuse?-Measurement of Stress Appraisal (SAM) in German Physicians with Key Expertise in Pediatrics.

BACKGROUND: Pediatricians frequently feel uncertain about their ability to detect early symptoms of child abuse and how to respond in suspected cases. AIM: This study investigated the transactional stress model in German pediatricians who experienced imagination stories with a child protection scenario and another potentially stress-triggering scenario. METHODS: A two-part survey was conducted online. Each part included a different imagination story and evaluation of the Stress Appraisal Measure (SAM), as well as questions on child protection, current problematics, and suggested remedies. In total, 96 pediatricians participated. The child abuse scenario was perceived as significantly more threatening and more stressful than a medical emergency. The pediatricians declared moderate familiarity with the Child Protection Guidelines and the Federal Child Protection Act and an average confidence in their application. The greatest perceived problems were communication difficulties with parents and youth welfare services. Suggested improvements were concrete procedural directives, more training programs, better interdisciplinary networks, and greater exchange among colleagues. CONCLUSIONS: To optimize their potential in the child protection system, pediatricians need to be better supported in coping with the identified stressors in child abuse scenarios.

[ARCHI - Development of a questionnaire on architecture of child and adolescent psychiatric facilities]. / ARCHI ­ Entwicklung eines Fragebogens zur Architektur kinder- und jugendpsychiatrischer Einrichtungen.

ARCHI - Development of a questionnaire on architecture of child and adolescent psychiatric facilities Abstract. Objective: Studies from various disciplines have pointed to a connection between the structural characteristics of hospitals, in particular psychiatric hospital wards, and various parameters in the recovery process of patients treated there. To date, however, no current studies have further investigated whether individual architectural aspects of clinical complexes are more relevant in everyday practice than others. Method: To link theory with practice in the context of this study, we developed a questionnaire to explore which architectural aspects in hospitals or utilities for child and adolescent psychiatry, psychosomatics, and psychotherapy are perceived by those working in therapy as helpful or detrimental to therapeutic treatment. We based the selection and development of several items on an extensive literary analysis and several expert rounds, and then analyzed and categorized the data acquired by those expert interviews conducted online according to Mayring. Results: The resulting categories demonstrate the aspects perceived as relevant to practice in everyday hospital life and thus form the basis for the 20 open and closed items of the questionnaire. Conclusion: The results of the expertise survey confirm the aspects found in the literature analyzed, including generosity of space, family orientation, age appropriateness, and positive atmosphere.