title: Lawyers' attitudes toward involuntary treatment.
abstract: This study examined whether lawyers' attributions of responsibility for mental illnesses affect their decisions about involuntary treatment. A survey that was mailed in 2003 to Illinois lawyers involved in involuntary commitment elicited recommendations for involuntary treatment for characters presented in vignettes. The survey also sought respondents' attributions of personal responsibility for the onset and recurrence of mental illnesses. A total of 89 lawyers responded to the survey, a response rate of 48 percent. Decisions to hospitalize persons with mental illness involuntarily increased significantly with the level of risk of harm and were significantly related to attributions of responsibility for the recurrence of mental illness. Decisions to recommend involuntary medication were not related to attributions of responsibility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC3077, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. danl@yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu
authors.forename: Daniel J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Luchins
authors.forename: Amy E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Cooper
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hanrahan
authors.forename: Mark J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Heyrman
mesh_terms: D001290:Attitude; D003068:Coercion; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D003617:Dangerous Behavior; D003625:Data Collection; D006801:Humans; D007087:Illinois; D033241:Lawyers; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011619:Psychotropic Drugs / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012941:Social Responsibility
chemical_list: D011619:Psychotropic Drugs