Recommendations for Involuntary Hospitalization in Scenerios Depicting Escalating Risk of Harm to Self or Others*
| Vignette Diagnosis | Not Yet Begun to Deteriorate | Showing Deficits, No Harm | Endangerment, but No Harm | Imminent Risk of Harm | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean | SD | Mean | SD | Mean | SD | Mean | SD | |
| State's attorneys (n = 40) | 1.7 | 1.3 | 2.7 | 1.3 | 4.6 | 1.6 | 6.3 | 1.0 |
| Other publicly funded lawyers' average(n = 23) | 1.1 | 0.3 | 1.7 | 1.0 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 4.6 | 1.8 |
| Privately funded lawyers' average(n = 18) | 1.1 | 0.3 | 2.7 | 1.7 | 4.1 | 2.3 | 5.2 | 1.9 |
| All respondents' average recommendationfor both vignettes† (N = 84)‡ | 1.5 | 1.0 | 2.2 | 1.2 | 3.8 | 1.5 | 5.7 | 1.4 |
* Scale, involuntary hospitalization: 1, not at all appropriate, to 7, absolutely essential.
† ANOVA for level of risk of harm: F = 179.6, df = 3, p < .001.
‡ Note: The number for all respondents is greater than those in the preceding subgroups listed according to self identification, as state's attorneys, etc., due to missing data from four persons who did not answer the self‐identification question.