Media distortion of the public's perception of recidivism and psychiatric rehabilitation

Article Abstract:

For various self-serving reasons, politicians and the media tend to distort information regarding the success or failure of psychiatric rehabilitation of those who commit criminal acts related to an underlying psychiatric problem. Paraphilic patients, whose sexual proclivities lie outside the boundaries of normal heterosexual behavior, have an increased risk for committing certain sexual offenses such as sex with children (pedophilia). The Johns Hopkins Sexual Disorders Clinic specializes in the treatment of such disorders. Fewer than 10 percent of persons treated at the clinic for paraphilic disorders commit crimes related to the disorder within five years of receiving treatment. For treatment-compliant pedophiles, the figure is less than 3 percent. Despite these figures, a local television broadcast claimed that many people treated at the clinic continued to commit crimes. The program reported the cases of nine people said to have been treated at the clinic and who allegedly molested children after being treated. A review of the details of the cases revealed that three of the nine cases involved people either not actually treated at the clinic or not completing treatment. In two of the cases, the alleged criminal activity was very minor, which the program failed to report. More importantly, the program did not discuss people who had been successfully treated, nor did it report that over 90 percent of those who complete treatment do not commit such acts. This case illustrates how media distortion of psychiatric rehabilitation can mislead the public and do a great disservice to patients, mental health workers, and society at large, primarily for the sake of journalistic sensationalism. In this case, it later became known that the news program had been written before clinic staff were ever contacted. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Editorial, Evaluation, Media coverage, Criminal rehabilitation, Recidivism, Rehabilitation of criminals

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Assessing symptom change in Southeast Asian refugee survivors of mass violence and torture

Article Abstract:

Although there are now several million traumatized refugees in the world, knowledge about ways to help them function best psychologically is far from complete. Information is needed about the kinds of mental health problems they experience, the course of mental illness as it may develop, and about the most effective treatments for an extremely diverse group of people. Psychiatric patients from three Indochinese ethnic groups (Cambodian, Hmong/Laotian, and Vietnamese) were evaluated before and after a six-month treatment program. The treatment consisted of psychotropic medication, counselling, social service support, and psychiatric help, with additional aid provided by an Indochinese mental health worker. Patients were seen weekly by this team. Cambodian patients had been the most highly traumatized group, Vietnamese the least. Patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD, a condition resulting from exposure to extreme, inescapable trauma or violence) had higher anxiety and depression scores than those without PTSD, both before and after treatment. Cambodian patients experienced some improvement in depressive symptoms, and this type of symptom was more responsive to treatment than anxiety or somatic (bodily) symptoms, such as headache. (In fact, some somatic symptoms actually became more pronounced after treatment). The patients who improved did so not only according to assessment by professionals, but also in terms of their own experience of feeling better. Paradoxically, most symptoms grew worse for the Hmong/Laotian group of patients, a group which had lower literacy and more drug use than the other two. The fact that many tortured and traumatized refugees can improve with informed psychological intervention is encouraging for patient and professional alike. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Refugees, Post-traumatic stress disorder, Refugees, Southeast Asian, Southeast Asian refugees

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Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with delirium

Article Abstract:

A practice guideline has been developed by the American Psychiatric Assn which seeks to summarize research data pertaining to the care of patients with delirium. It aims to assist psychiatrists in caring for such patients. The guideline evaluates the treatment that patients with delirium may need which the psychiatrist may provide or advocate. Psychiatrists should consider, but are not limited to, the treatments recommended in this practice guideline.

Standards, Therapist-patient relations, Psychotherapy, Delirium, Psychotherapist and patient, American Psychiatric Association

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