Restraint therapy

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The retention therapy developed by Martha Welch , which was translated into German by Jirina Prekop , is an unrecognized form of psychotherapy , in which attachment disorders are to be resolved through intensive " non- aggressive" retention . The therapy was originally developed for children with attachment disorders with the support of the behaviorist and Nobel Prize winner Nikolaas Tinbergen and is now also used by Prekop as part of family therapy for adults.

According to some psychologists and psychotherapists, the therapy involves violence against the treated children and can have a traumatic effect. Under certain circumstances, the use of the therapy fulfills criminal offenses ( bodily harm , mistreatment of wards , coercion ).

target group

The therapy was developed for people with intellectual disabilities , autism , behavioral problems or mental disorders for whom dealing with an attachment disorder is believed to be therapeutically helpful.

William Sears , the founder of attachment parenting , also recommends the method to deal with childish tantrums .

method

In restraint therapy, adults should look into each other's eyes in a mutual hug and hold on until painful feelings, aggressive impulses or fears first emerge and are expressed in this confrontation, and then until the negative feelings dissolve and the holding on becomes a loving hug . Children are held in a hug by a close caregiver , rarely also by a therapist . The therapist should then support the expression of emerging states of excitement and aggression by encouraging people to "scold themselves and cry out" (Prekop 1992 ). The duration of the hold should be determined by the process, without any time limit, and should take place in a comfortable position, usually sitting or lying down. Ideally, the process should last until the excitement subsides and a willingness to "joyfully experience tenderness " arises.

According to Prekop, detention must not be used for punishment or chastisement, and also not by a caregiver who reacted aggressively or negatively to the child's behavior or who previously abused the child.

criticism

The method has been sharply criticized. Various reasons are given, among other things, the supporters of the method are accused of misinterpreting the reference literature. The Bremen educationalist Georg Feuser believes that the therapy is based on irrational assumptions and individual experiences of its representatives; it does not represent a conclusive therapeutic concept and therefore has no demonstrable therapeutic value. Georg Theunissen states that "unreflected, static thinking emerges here, which only looks at mentally handicapped people from their shortcomings".

Finally, ethical and humane reasons are given: The method is based on the use of force and is not compatible with the personal rights of the person being treated. It is doubtful how a “real” dialogue about violent action can be achieved.

Legal appreciation

Holding or restraining a person against their will can result in various criminal offenses . Detaining a person by force is inappropriate treatment that does not only negatively affect their physical well-being. So, depending on the perpetrator, it is a matter of bodily harm or mistreatment of those who are under protection . Here, however, the justification ground for consent , in the case of children by the parents, as well as when holding on to prevent self-harming behavior of the emergency aid, should be taken into account. A final clarification can therefore only be made in individual cases, in particular it should be checked whether therapists use this therapy in a way that offends against morality and thus the consent is irrelevant. Another problem is the justification of the parents' right to punishment , which was severely restricted by the law on outlawing violence in upbringing of November 2, 2000.

If the restraint therapy is abused for the purpose of punishment, it is, depending on the execution, a prohibited corporal punishment, as well as a degrading educational measure within the meaning of § 1631 BGB. Since parents basically have no right to punish their children, they cannot transfer it to third parties, in this case the "therapists". In principle, third parties also have no right to punishment. Anyone who is a third party who physically punishes or humiliates children or persons under guardianship is therefore always acting unlawfully.

Regarding the eligibility of the restraint therapy with the long-term care insurance, the second chamber of the social court in Ulm determined that the times for this in the case of an eleven-year-old, hyperactive, hard of hearing child with disorders of fine motor skills, moderate mental retardation as well as delay in social contact and language development correspond to the time required for basic care are to be added.

At the beginning of March 2010, due to the use of restraint therapy, an investigation was initiated against employees of a residential group for learning and mentally handicapped children as well as children with behavioral problems because of physical abuse of wards and deprivation of liberty.

See also

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.berliner-zeitung.de/festhaltetherapien-sollen-gestoerten-kinder-helfen--aber-womoeglich-haben-sie-ueble-haben-im-griff-der-eltern-15461212
  2. ^ Helping Toddlers Handle Tantrums. Retrieved January 13, 2015 .
  3. ↑ Georg Feuser: Aspects of a critique of the process of "forced holding" (holding therapy) in autistic and otherwise disabled children and adolescents. In: Disabled Education, Issue 2, May 1988, Volume 27 [1]
  4. ^ Georg Theunissen: Pedagogy for Mental Disabilities and Behavioral Problems, 4th edition, Klinkhardt Verlag, p. 153ff
  5. ↑ Dirk Fabricius, The practical case - criminal law - healing or child abuse ?, JuS 1991, 393-399
  6. ^ Criminal Code - Leipzig Commentary, 11th edition, Hans Lilie, § 223, margin no. 10
  7. ↑ Staudinger / Ludwig Salgo (2002), § 1631 BGB content and limits of personal care margin no. 86, 89
  8. ↑ Staudinger / Ludwig Salgo (2002), § 1631 BGB content and limits of personal care, margin no. 90-92
  9. ^ SG Ulm 2nd Chamber, S 2 P 251/96 of October 17, 1996, available on openjur
  10. ↑ Suspicion of child abuse in Diakonie. Die Welt, March 9, 2010.

literature

  • Landesverband Hessen eV in the Association of German Special Schools, Professional Association for Disabled Education (Ed.): Disabled Education - Quarterly magazine for disabled education and integration of disabled people in practice, research and teaching . Psychosozial-Verlag, Giessen, ISSN  0341-7301 ; here: 27th year, issue 2/1988 (special issue on restraint therapy; several critical essays)
  • Irina Prekop: Holding on and Holding Therapy ; in: Susanne Fikar: Bodywork with the handicapped , 2nd ext. Aufl., Wittwer Verlag, Stuttgart 1992 (= learning through action: Pedagogical series, vol. 10), ISBN 3-87919-223-5 .
  • Georg Theunissen: Pedagogy for intellectual disabilities and behavioral problems: a compendium for practice . 4., rework. and strong exp. Ed., Klinkhardt Verlag, Bad Heilbrunn 2005 (= Prevention - Integration - Rehabilitation), ISBN 3-7815-1355-6 .
  • Irina Prekop: The little tyrant: what support do children need? . Complete Paperback edition, 1st edition, Goldmann Verlag, Munich 2006 (= Goldmann, 16885; Mosaik bei Goldmann), ISBN 3-442-16885-6 .

Web links