title: Caregivers' perceptions of coercion in psychiatric hospital admission.
abstract: While knowledge on service users' perspective on their admissions to psychiatric wards has improved substantially in the last decade, there is a paucity of knowledge of the perspectives of caregivers. This study aimed to determine caregiver's perception of the levels of perceived coercion, perceived pressures and procedural justice experienced by service users during their admission to acute psychiatric in-patient units. The perspective of caregivers were then compared to the perspectives of their related service users, who had been admitted to five psychiatric units in Ireland. Caregivers were interviewed using an adapted version of the MacArthur admission experience interview. Sixty-six caregivers participated in this study and the majority were parents. Seventy one percent of service users were admitted involuntarily and nearly half had a diagnosis of schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder. Caregivers of involuntarily admitted individuals perceived the service users' admission as less coercive than reported by the service users. Caregivers also perceived a higher level of procedural justice in comparison to the level reported by service users. Reducing the disparity of perceptions between caregivers and service users could result in caregivers having a greater understanding of the admission process and why some service users may be reluctant to be admitted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ranieri
authors.affiliation: Cluain Mhuire Mental Health Service, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Madigan
authors.affiliation: DETECT, Early Intervention for Psychosis Service, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Eric
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Roche
authors.affiliation: Clinical Science Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bainbridge
authors.affiliation: Clinical Science Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: McGuinness
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Kevin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tierney
authors.affiliation: Cluain Mhuire Mental Health Service, Blackrock, Co Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Larkin
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feeney
authors.affiliation: Clinical Science Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hallahan
authors.affiliation: Clinical Science Institute, National University of Ireland, Galway, Ireland.
authors.forename: Colm
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.affiliation: Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Parkville, Victoria, Australia; Centre for Youth Mental Health, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia. Electronic address: briannoelodonoghue@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Brian
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: O'Donoghue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D003068:Coercion; D003134:Commitment of Persons with Psychiatric Disorders; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010343:Patient Admission; D010465:Perception; D011567:Psychiatric Department, Hospital; D011618:Psychotic Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D012559:Schizophrenia
keywords: Ethics; Involuntary admission; Perceived coercion; Procedural justice; Schizophrenia