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De-escalation in the Management of Aggression and Violence: Towards Evidence-based Practice

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Aggression and Violence

Abstract

In its original usage, the concept of de-escalation is simple. It implies the existence of a set of verbal and non-verbal skills which, if used selectively and appropriately, may reduce the level of an aggressor’s hostility by calming anger and lowering arousal. As a consequence of doing so, it is suggested that the associated risk of assaultive behaviour in a crisis situation will decrease (Turnbull et al. 1990, Stevenson 1991). The term ‘de-escalation’ is to be preferred to alternatives sometimes employed, such as ‘talkdown’ or ‘defusing’ because it more accurately describes the process involved. The skills employed are neither intuitive nor instinctual and do not always result from experience. They require skilled teaching and supervised practice to achieve competence in their application (Paterson 1994).

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Authors
  1. Brodie Paterson
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  2. David Leadbetter
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Oxfordshire Learning Disability NHS Trust, UK

    John Turnbull BA, MSc, RNMH (Director of Nursing) (Director of Nursing)

  2. Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Stirling, UK

    Brodie Paterson MEd, BA(Hons), RMN, RNMH, RNT, DipNursing (Lecturer) (Lecturer)

Copyright information

© 1999 Brodie Paterson and David Leadbetter

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Paterson, B., Leadbetter, D. (1999). De-escalation in the Management of Aggression and Violence: Towards Evidence-based Practice. In: Turnbull, J., Paterson, B. (eds) Aggression and Violence. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-13577-6_6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-13577-6_6

  • Publisher Name: Palgrave, London

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-333-62251-3

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-349-13577-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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