Racism as a response to change. The introduction of residents onto a psychiatry ward.
An outbreak of violence among inpatients coincident with the beginning of a residency training program is described. The phenomenon is viewed as an example of covert staff disagreement resulting in the scapegoating of black patients. Suggestions are made as to how to avoid the occurrence of similar phenomena through a process of re-education of ward staff.
D000184:Acting Out; D000374:Aggression / Q000523:psychology; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D006126:Group Processes; D006801:Humans; D007396:Internship and Residency; D010557:Personnel Administration, Hospital; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D011287:Prejudice; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000628:therapy; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology