Writing Rights: The “Homeless Mentally III and Involuntary Hospitalization

Summary: This retrospective study characterizes the suicidal behavior in 119 patients with Axis I adjustment disorders as assessed by psychiatrists at the University of Virginia Hospital. Results indicated that 72 patients (60.5%) had documented suicide attempts in the past, 96% had been suicidal during their admission to the hospital, and 50% had attempted suicide before their hospitalization. The most commonly used method of suicide attempts was overdosing. Of the sample group with suicide attempts in the past, 67% had Axis II diagnoses of borderline personality disorder and antisocial personality disorder. Adjustment disorder diagnosis in patients with the suicide attempts was associated with a high level of suicidality at admission, involuntary hospitalization and substance-abuse disorders. Axis II diagnoses in patients with adjustment disorders constituted risk factors for further suicidal behavior. Additional future prospective studies with reliability checks on diagnosis of adjustment disorders and suicidal behavior are needed.

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On Involuntary Hospitalization for Alcoholics. Suggestions for an Inpatient Treatment Program

Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol ◽

10.15288/qjsa.1958.19.660 ◽

1958 ◽

Vol 19 (4) ◽

pp. 660-667

Author(s):

Melvin L. Selzer

Keyword(s):

Treatment Program ◽

Inpatient Treatment ◽

Involuntary Hospitalization

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Do no harm in due process – a historical analysis of social determinates of institutionalization in the USA

History of Psychiatry ◽

10.1177/0957154x211034652 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 0957154X2110346

Author(s):

Tyler Durns

Keyword(s):

Mentally Ill ◽

Due Process ◽

Psychiatric Treatment ◽

Historical Analysis ◽

Involuntary Hospitalization ◽

Fundamental Function ◽

Cultural Paradigms ◽

Do No Harm ◽

The Usa ◽

Legislative Amendments

Involuntary hospitalization has been a fundamental function of psychiatric care for mentally ill persons in the USA for centuries. Procedural and judicial practices of inpatient psychiatric treatment and civil commitment in the USA have served as a by-product of socio-political pressures that demanded constant reform throughout history. The origin of modern commitment laws can best be understood through the lens of cultural paradigms that led to their creation and these suggest caution for future legislative amendments.

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Social Class and Ethnicity Effects on Clinical Judgments

Psychological Reports ◽

10.2466/pr0.1978.43.1.91 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 43 (1) ◽

pp. 91-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Ralph D. Norman ◽

Ricardo Martinez

Keyword(s):

Social Class ◽

Middle Class ◽

Lower Class ◽

Treatment Recommendations ◽

Clinical Judgments ◽

Involuntary Hospitalization ◽

Professional Help ◽

Class Bias ◽

Psychotic Behavior

To resolve conflict between earlier studies finding contradictory recommendations on need for professional help of middle- vs lower-class persons given normal, neurotic, and psychotic behavior descriptions, and to explore ethnicity effects, 92 students (70 Anglo, 22 Chicano) rated fictitious biographical vignettes. A pro-middle-class bias was found consistent with Routh and King's study but inconsistent with that by Schofield and Oakes. Also contrary to the latter, treatment recommendations agreed with ratings. Ethnicity bias appeared, since Anglos recommended Chicanos more often for involuntary hospitalization. Inconsistency between the two earlier studies results from a methodological variation, discussed in this study.

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