RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Forensic Psychiatric Evaluation for Military Absenteeism in Taiwan
JF Journal of the American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law Online
JO J Am Acad Psychiatry Law
FD American Academy of Psychiatry and the Law
SP 352
OP 358
VO 44
IS 3
A1 Tzeng, Nian-Sheng
A1 Chen, Chih-Kang
A1 Wang, Tzong-Shi
A1 Chang, Hsin-An
A1 Kao, Yu-Chen
A1 Yeh, Hui-Wen
A1 Chiang, Wei-Shan
A1 Huang, San-Yuan
YR 2016
UL http://jaapl.org/content/44/3/352.abstract
AB The relationship between military absenteeism and mental health problems has been noted; however, factors affecting military absenteeism by enlisted personnel have not been studied systematically. In a medical center in Taiwan, we performed a chart review of 26 forensic psychiatric evaluations of enlisted personnel who were absent without leave (AWOL) or deserted their service from 1994 to 2014. The findings showed that many of these recruits had a lower level of education (50.00% had just nine years of education), intellectual disability (46.15%), depressive disorders (30.76%), and suicidal ideation (53.85%). Depressive disorder was overrepresented in comparison with findings in a previous study. Further study is needed to confirm whether psychiatric screening before service enlistment and early psychiatric intervention for service members with mental illness or emotional disturbance could help in the prevention of desertion or going AWOL.