HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Luchins, D. J. Articles by Heyrman, M. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Luchins, D. J. Articles by Heyrman, M. J.

Lawyers' Attitudes Toward Involuntary Treatment

Dr. Luchins is Associate Professor, Ms. Cooper is Research Assistant, and Dr. Hanrahan is Associate Professor and Research Associate, Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Mr. Heyrman is Clinical Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School, Chicago, IL. Address correspondence to: Daniel J. Luchins, MD, Department of Psychiatry, University of Chicago, 5841 S. Maryland Avenue, MC3077, Chicago, IL 60637. E-mail: danl{at}yoda.bsd.uchicago.edu

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.