title: [Compulsory psychiatric treatment and the patients' perspective].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Topic of this article is an investigation on the patients' perspective of involuntary treatment in psychiatry. The results of two studies are presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  The first study surveyed 40 patients involuntarily admitted to the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University Hospital of Tübingen, Germany, according to the commitment law. The interviews were carried out within the first days of admission. The second study carried out a retrospective follow-up of 47 court-committed patients; the mean period between commitment and follow-up was 29 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of patients evaluated the involuntary treatment as not justified--both in direct context and in a long distance to it. A substantial part of the sample, however, showed insight into illness and treatment at the time of follow-up. Extreme positions were preferred; an ambivalent attitude was rare.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is necessary to pay attention to the events around the involuntary treatment individually and to offer systematic aftercare.
authors: Tübinger Forschungsgruppe Sozialpsychiatrie der Universitätsklinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie Tübingen. gerhard.laengle@zfp-zwiefalten.de
authors: Gerhard
authors: G
authors: Längle
authors: Wiltrud
authors: W
authors: Bayer
mesh_terms: D003068:Coercion; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005858:Germany; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires