Am J Psychiatry 1980; 137:476-480
Copyright © 1980 by American Psychiatric Association
Perceived statutory applicability versus clinical desirability of emergency involuntary hospitalization
MA Peszke, GG Affleck and RM Wintrob
The authors used a questionnaire survey conducted by mail in 1975 to assess
psychiatrists' perceptions of the applicability of two jurisdictions'
statutes for emergency involuntary hospitalization and the desirability of
such hospitalization in four case vignettes. The great majority of the 287
respondents agreed that the statutes were applicable and hospitalization
was desirable for individuals who were at risk for suicide and who were
psychotic. Most of them also agreed that such hospitalization was neither
legally applicable nor desirable for nonpsychotic, nonsuicidal people.
Their perceptions of applicability versus desirability differed, however,
regarding people who were nonsuicidal but psychotic or nonpsychotic but
suicidal.
