Potentially Dangerous Behavior in the Mentally Ill: Attitudes of Journalists and Medical Students toward Compulsory Admission

Abstract

Compulsory admission is a critical measure that may lead to stigmatization of patients. The authors investigated what medical students and journalists consider legitimate conditions for compulsory admission. The most frequently quoted conditions in both groups were violent attempts against others. About one third of each group considered continuous neglect as a reason. Students significantly more often than journalists advocated for civil commitment in the case of suicide attempts and violent attempts. Medical students with personal contact with mentally disordered persons advocated significantly more often for coercive measures in the case of suicide attempts. Comparing journalists and medical students having personal contact with mentally disordered persons revealed that medical students significantly more often supported commitment. Journalists displayed a more liberal attitude toward the mentally ill than did medical students.

Mental illness among journalists: A systematic review

“…For the second category, ‘journalists’ attitudes towards mental health problems among other people’, five studies were included (Abasiubong, Ekott, & Bassey, 2007; Campbell et al, 2009; Finzen, 1996; Gutiérrez-Lobos & Holzinger, 2000; Holzinger, Kaup, & Gutierrez-Lobos, 2002). With the exception of a study from Nigeria (Abasiubong et al, 2007), journalists showed favourable and liberal attitudes towards other people’s mental health problems (Gutiérrez-Lobos & Holzinger, 2000; Holzinger et al, 2002). One interventional cohort study was conducted.…”

Zwangsaufnahme in das psychiatrische Krankenhaus im Spiegel der öffentlichen Meinung und aus Sicht von Professionellen in der Psychiatrie

“…Ebenso konnten diese Autoren zeigen, dass psychiatrische Vorerfahrung für die Einstellung zur Zwangszu− weisung, zumindest in der Allgemeinbevölkerung, keine Rolle spielt. Holzinger et al [26] fanden in einer Untersuchung zur Einstellung von Medizinstudenten und Journalisten zur zwangs− weisen Hospitalisation, dass für die beiden befragten Gruppen ¹Gewalt gegen andere" das häufigste Motiv war, für eine fürsor− gerische Freiheitsentziehung zu votieren. Je ein Drittel erwähnte zusätzlich ¹Vernachlässigung" als Grund für eine FFE.…”

Beyond Patient Characteristics: A Narrative Review of Contextual Factors Influencing Involuntary Admissions in Mental Health Care

“…However, about one-third of both groups said that prolonged neglect was a reason. Compared to journalists, the medical students were significantly more likely to endorse commitment and this was attributed to their medical education with a focus on treatment and healing [90]. A Swiss study found that more educated respondents, women, those with a high-degree of social distance towards PMHCs, and those who held unfavorable stereotypes were more likely to endorse IA [94].…”

“…Their actions could also include, for instance, varying degrees of self-neglect, such as a failure to take proper care of oneself or engaging in other self-destructive behavior that could disrupt family or community life. Although such behavior can be addressed in an outpatient setting without commitment, a low tolerance for such behavior compounded by insufficient alternatives to inpatient care may increase the pressure to admit such people [90]. People in many countries turn to involuntary admission as a result of the absence of sufficient community mental health services and social services.…”