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The Psychosocial Dynamics of Change at Leros PIKPA Asylum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  06 August 2018

J. Tsiantis ,
P. Kordoutis ,
G. Kolaitis ,
A. Perakis  and
H. Assimopoulos
J. Tsiantis*
Affiliation:
Medical School, University of Athens; Department of Psychological Paediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens
P. Kordoutis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Paediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens
G. Kolaitis
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Paediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens
A. Perakis
Affiliation:
Association for Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Health, Holargos
H. Assimopoulos
Affiliation:
Department of Psychological Paediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, Athens; Association for Child and Adolescent Psychosocial Health, Holargos, Greece
*
Professor John Tsiantis, Director, Department of Psychological Paediatrics, “Aghia Sophia” Children's Hospital, GR 11527 Athens, Greece
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Extract

The pilot intervention project at Leros PIKPA asylum was resisted at all levels of its implementation. Resistance ranged from implicit and passive to explicit and hostile. It took the form of strong rejective attitudes, defensiveness, and repressed emotions of guilt, shame and fear. It was apparent in efforts to delay, obstruct or reverse the progress of the project and undermine the work of intervention team members. It was evident in the interactions of the intervention team with all parties involved in implementing the project: medical professionals and welfare services, the state and local administrations, the central and local administrations of PIKPA staff, the local community, and the asylum residents' families and relatives. It is argued that this resistance to change is due to the interplay of cultural/attitudinal, psychodynamic and socio-economic factors that are not unique to Leros or Greece. The analysis of the psychosocial processes involved in resistance to changing the Leros PIKPA asylum may offer insights to the deinstitutionalisation of custodial settings in general.

Type
Research Article
Information
The British Journal of Psychiatry , Volume 167 , Issue S28: The Children of Leros PIKPA , July 1995 , pp. 46 - 55
Copyright
Copyright © 1995 The Royal College of Psychiatrists 

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