Empirical Ethics In Psychiatry

Psychiatry presents a unique array of difficult ethical questions. A major challenge is to approach psychiatry in a way that does justice to the real ethical issues. This book show how ethics can engage more closely with the reality of psychiatric practice and how empirical methodologies from the social sciences can help foster this link.

Ethics in Psychiatry: (1) presents a comprehensive review of ethical issues arising in psychiatric care and research; (2) relates ethical issues to changes and challenges of society; (3) examines the application of general ethics to specific psychiatric problems and relates these to moral implications of psychiatry practice; (4) deals with recently arising ethical problems; (5) contains contributions of leading European ethicists, philosophers, lawyers, historians and psychiatrists; (6) provides a basis for the exploration of culture-bound influences on morals, manners and customs in the light of ethical principles of global validity.

Consideration of ethics has established a firm place in the affairs of psychiatrists. An increased professional commitment to accountability, together with a growing "consumer" movement has paved the way for a creative engagement with the ethical movement. Psychiatric Ethics has carved out a niche for itself as a major comprehensive text and core reference covering the many complex ethical dilemmas which face clinicians and researchers in their everyday practice. This new edition takes a fresh look at recent trends and developments at the interface between ethics and psychiatric practice. For this edition, Sydney Bloch and Paul Chodoff are joined by Stephen Green, a clinical professor in ethics and psychiatry at Georgetown University, in leading 29 of the finest scholars in the field from around the world. Eleven new contributors join the team of authors. They include Drs. Beauchamp, Gutheils, Sabin, McGuffin, Szmulter, Gabbard and Holmes. Since the second edition, the editors have observed several emerging aspects of psychiatric practice requiring coverage. As a result, six new chapters have been added covering the ethical aspects of community psychiatry, managed care, psychiatric genetics, resource allocation, codes of ethics and boundary violations. All others chapters have been fully revised and updated. The book will continue to be essential reading for psychiatrists and other mental health professionals, as well as of interest to ethicists, policy makers, managers and lawyers.

Although psychologists have been relatively reticent in approaching ethical issues as a research topic, some have begun to use psychological principles, theories, and studies to understand and solve ethical dilemmas in their research. This book examines relations between ethics and psychology: the contributions that psychology can make to ethical studies and standards in all areas of human empirical science; and the specific ethics of psychological research. The eleven contributors describe the kinds of ethical problems that arise in psychological research, review current literature with a focus on empirical studies of ethical issues in human research, and identify the theoretical and methodological tools they use to understand the ethical problems arising in their work. This book addresses important issues such as the definitions of normative and deviant groups, the discovery and neutralization of bias, sensitivity to the interests of experimental subjects, and the counterweighing factors in rules, regulations, and enforcement. Barbara H. Stanley is a professor of psychology at City University of New York, John Jay College, and a lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry at Columbia University. Joan E. Sieber is a professor of psychology at California State University, Hayward. They are the coeditors of Social Research on Children and Adolescents: Ethical Issues. Gary B. Melton is a professor of neuropsychiatry, law, pediatrics, and psychology and director of the Institute for Families in Society at the University of South Carolina. He is the editor of Adolescent Abortion: Psychological and Legal Issues (Nebraska 1986).

The field of ethics is expanding and has assumed new significance as a compulsory part of study for psychiatrists and all mental health professionals. Ethics and Mental Health: The Patient, Profession and Community presents a new approach to these ethical dilemmas that have become an increasing part of modern practice. The book begins by exploring current normative theories of psychiatric ethics. It describes how empirical methods can make codes of conduct more representative of professional values. Considering their previous work, concepts of justice, and the moderate communitarian position, the authors outline their methodology, which argues that mental health professionals exist within a perpetual state of tension, caused by conflicts between the Hippocratic Oath, personal values, notions of social justice, and the potentially harmful influences of their social role. Applying their theory to the area of involuntary psychiatric treatment, the authors address the context of psychiatric practice and the moral agency of psychiatrists. They outline the different influences on the craft of psychiatry to better illustrate the diverse forces that impact moral deliberation and the practice of ethics in mental health. In doing so, they cover areas as diverse as cultural, economic, scientific, and political domains. The final section of the book applies the methodology to contemporary problems in mental health ethics, formulating how mental health clinicians can approach these quandaries. The book brings a new perspective to classic dilemmas from the past, to contemporary challenges, and in anticipation, to new concerns that will inevitably arise in a dynamic and complex professional context.

Ethics, Culture, and Psychiatry: International Perspectives is a textbook that explores the best ways to promote the use of the Declaration of Madrid, which outlines ethical standards for psychiatric practice throughout the world. The book is written with two questions in mind, both easy to pose and difficult to answer: Is it possible to formulate a set of principles that will be valid for all psychiatrists, regardless of the cultures to which they belong or in which they live and practice, or are there as many sets of ethical principles as there are cultures? If there is such a set of principles, what should we do to ensure that psychiatry as a discipline makes a significant contribution to societal good without helping the evil? To facilitate the exploration of this territory, 15 experts from a variety of cultures examine the most pressing ethical issues prevalent within the current practice of psychiatry. Many of the dilemmas probed in this book are routinely encountered by clinicians who work in increasingly multicultural societies. The text covers issues that are broadly relevant to clinical practice and research, including: An overview of ethics and societies around the world Discussions of ethical practices and dilemmas specific to various cultural regions Transcultural debate on overarching issues, such as incompetent patients, informed consent, and mental health law reform The complete copy of The Declaration of Madrid printed in the appendix Readers will find that this is a textbook that stimulates and supports, rather than closes, the debate on ethical aspects of professional psychiatric behavior. Ethics, Culture, and Psychiatry: International Perspectives is much more than just a book on ethics -- it is a major contribution to understanding the impact of culture and history on the ethical practice of medicine around the world, and a continuous search for a consensus on how to live together and make contributions to the well-being of people with mental illness, their families, and the family of humans on our planet.

The field of ethics is expanding and has assumed new significance as a compulsory part of study for psychiatrists and all mental health professionals. Ethics and Mental Health: The Patient, Profession and Community presents a new approach to these ethical dilemmas that have become an increasing part of modern practice. The book begins by exploring current normative theories of psychiatric ethics. It describes how empirical methods can make codes of conduct more representative of professional values. Considering their previous work, concepts of justice, and the moderate communitarian position, the authors outline their methodology, which argues that mental health professionals exist within a perpetual state of tension, caused by conflicts between the Hippocratic Oath, personal values, notions of social justice, and the potentially harmful influences of their social role. Applying their theory to the area of involuntary psychiatric treatment, the authors address the context of psychiatric practice and the moral agency of psychiatrists. They outline the different influences on the craft of psychiatry to better illustrate the diverse forces that impact moral deliberation and the practice of ethics in mental health. In doing so, they cover areas as diverse as cultural, economic, scientific, and political domains. The final section of the book applies the methodology to contemporary problems in mental health ethics, formulating how mental health clinicians can approach these quandaries. The book brings a new perspective to classic dilemmas from the past, to contemporary challenges, and in anticipation, to new concerns that will inevitably arise in a dynamic and complex professional context.

In questions of psychiatric ethics, simple "yes" or "no" answers are rare, yet questions arise frequently in the clinical setting. "Should I accept a patient's invitation to a party?" "Is it OK to tell a patient that I, too, have had a depression?" "Can I release sensitive information about my patient without the patient's consent?" "Can I give a psychiatric opinion about someone I've never examined?" A shortage of ethics instruction from medical school through residency has left many psychiatrists facing the increasingly complex field of ethics without a clear guide to ethical decision making and conduct until now. Informed by some of the formal proceedings of the APA Ethics Committee, Ethics Primer of the American Psychiatric Association presents today's ethical dilemmas in eleven informative chapters -- brought to life by the clinical vignettes based on actual cases seen by this primer's distinguished contributors. Boundary violations between the doctor -- patient relationship and any other relationship (e.g., social, sexual/romantic, business) Issues such as informed consent, psychopharmacology, hospitalization, and psychotherapy with children, adolescents, and families Issues such as confidentiality, competence and consent, quality of life, abuse and neglect, and use of restraints with geriatric populations Involuntary hospitalization rife with conflict and controversy where many ethical principles clash (e.g., beneficence, autonomy, informed consent) Reconciling ethical conduct (as delineated in guidelines of the AMA, APA, and Sabin) with managed care's cost containment and rationing of medical services Confidentiality, how this fundamental ethics principle can clash with the business ethics of managed care and insurance companies Gifts from patients and industry when and why they are or are not acceptable The often uncomfortable duty to report colleagues who engage in fraud or deception, from speaking privately with a colleague to referring a concern to a departmental committee, supervisor, or local APA ethics committee (and applicable legal mandates) Emergency care ethics how to ensure proper treatment for psychiatric patients who come to the emergency room with physical illnesses forensic psychiatry, including codes of ethics, boundary issues, and management of allegations of ethical misconduct When consultations and second opinions are needed Including an appendix with selected material from The Principles of Medical Ethics With Annotations Especially Applicable to Psychiatry, this clinical guide and reference is sure to stimulate the discussion so integral to maintaining the dynamic tradition of ethics. As such, it is essential reading for every psychiatrist -- whether in training or in established clinical practice -- who aspires to a richer appreciation for the wisdom and subtleties of the guidelines and principles of medical ethics.