P02-271 - Psychiatric Trainning as a “Rite of Passage”: a Field Study in Spain

Abstract

Background

“Rite of passage” is an etnographic concept developed by VanGennep that defines the vital transition of an individual between two different status. It is divided in three stages: separation, liminal/threshold and aggregation. Turner described the liminal phase, and the terms of “communitas” and “liminoid” (structure of a rite without religious/spiritual elements). One widely-known Rite of Passage is the initiation of the shamans.

Objetives

Study the elements of a rite of passage present in Psychiatric Trainning.

Method

• • Field study (observational, descriptive, non-experimental).

• • Preliminary Sample=10trainees (5man+5women); last year of Psychiatric Trainning.

• • “ad hoc” semi-structured interview (21items subdivided in open questions). 10interviews (average duration=75mins). Permanent register:digital recorder.

• • Summary and analysis of the answers. Review of the literature.

Results

1. - Psychiatric Trainning shared the elements and tri-phasic structure of VanGennep's “rite of passage” concept

2. - Trainees saw themselves as more empathic(7/10) and humanistic(8/10) than other specialties colleagues. Stigma towards mental illness(8/10) and fear of suicide(9/10) were also considered as their distinctives.

3. - The collective behaved as a communitas(10/10)

4. - No spiritual elements(0/10): liminoid process

5. - Resemblances of the ancestral shamans' Initiation: Despite bloody practices were over, suffering was also present(7/10), but was seen as necessary(6/10) and well tolerated(7/10).

6. - Trainees felt that they grew spiritual and mentally(7/10) during the trainning years

Conclusions

Results suggest that Psychiatric Trainning has stable phenomena that:

• • are compatible with the Rite of Passage schema

• • Are considered exclusive of Psychiatry by trainees

• • Have not been systematically studied as a whole, which could help to improve the training.