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This page is an AI-assisted Turkish summary of the study presented at the 26th World Congress of Psychiatry. The study belongs to the presenting authors; please refer to the original source when citing it.

Coercion in psychiatric treatment: its impact on the therapeutic relationship and patient outcomes

Coercion in psychiatry treatment - impact on the therapeutic relationship and patient outcomes

Although coercive practices may resolve immediate safety crises, they harm the therapeutic relationship, trust in services, and recovery; their overuse must therefore be reduced and evidence-based alternatives implemented.

The presentation addresses the use of coercive measures in clinical practice as a contentious issue, noting that even when implemented in compliance with all rules and procedures and with the aim of meeting patients’ healthcare needs or protecting them or others, these measures constitute violations of fundamental human rights and require strong ethical justification. It emphasizes that coercive practices may resolve immediate safety crises but adversely affect the therapeutic relationship, foster distrust of mental health services, and can have lasting traumatic consequences both for people with lived experience of mental disorders and for staff who witness or participate in these practices. They can also cause physical harm and even death. The talk provides a clear definition of coercive practices and demonstrates their overuse. Current evidence on negative experiences of seclusion, restraint, and involuntary admission is presented alongside their short- and long-term consequences, including diminished trust in the healthcare system and healthcare professionals, disrupted recovery, and death. The fundamental conflict between the ethical principles of beneficence and respect for patient autonomy facing the profession is highlighted, and evidence-based alternatives are reviewed. In conclusion, the presentation advocates substantial transformations in mental health systems to implement alternatives to coercive practices and change institutional practices that safeguard formal rights while undermining meaningful agency, while also reducing disengagement from care and untreated illness.

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