Family Perspective on Community Treatment Orders: A New Zealand Study

• Published in: International journal of social psychiatry Vol. 52; no. 5; pp. 469 - 478
• Main Authors: Mullen, Richard, Gibbs, Anita, Dawson, John
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.09.2006; Sage; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Commitments; Community; Community based programmes; Community health care; Community Mental Health Services - standards; Community treatment. Ambulatory treatment. Home care; Compulsory; Families & family life; Family; Family environment. Family history; Family relations; Family relationships; Family studies; Humans; Interpersonal Relations; Interviews as Topic; Medical sciences; Mental disorders; Mental Disorders - therapy; Mental health; Mental health care; Mentally ill people; New Zealand; Patient Advocacy; Patient satisfaction; Patients; Psychiatry; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Qualitative research; Relatives; Safety; Social influence; Social psychiatry; Social psychiatry. Ethnopsychiatry; Social sciences; Treatment; Treatments; New Zealand; Oceania; Social environment; Human; Treatment; Attitude; Mental health; Family environment; Mental disorder; Community treatment; Public health; Court ordered treatment
• ISSN: 0020-7640; 1741-2854
• DOI: 10.1177/0020764006066836

Background: People with serious mental disorders typically live with family members. Despite increasing interest in compulsory community treatment for such patients, the experience and views of their family members have been little studied. Material: Qualitative interviews with 27 family members, whose relatives have been subject to compulsory community treatment. Discussion and conclusions: Family members are generally in favour of the use of compulsory community treatment orders. They perceive a positive influence on their relative, on themselves, on family relationships, and on relations with the clinical team. Family members are aware of the ethical and other dilemmas that attend the use of compulsory community care.