To determine whether hospitalized mentally ill patients expose
themselves to research with high risks more often than hospitalized
nonpsychiatric patients, the authors asked patients from both groups if
they would be willing to participate in a series of hypothetical research
studies. The mentally ill patients did not agree to participate in studies
of either high or low risk more frequently than nonpsychiatric patients.
Both groups tended to agree to low-risk/high- benefit studies more often
than high-risk/low-benefit studies. Although Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale
scores clearly differentiated between psychiatric and nonpsychiatric
patients, psychopathology did not correlate with willingness to participate
in any of the studies.
Abstract Teaser