PhD defence M.H. (Mark) de Jong

Compulsory psychiatric admissions a have strong impact on patients. The numbers of compulsory admissions are rising in several countries. Therefore, reduction of compulsory admissions is urgently needed. The five subprojects presented in this thesis studied aspects of compulsory psychiatric admissions. A meta-analysis of existing literature showed that advance statements, such as crisis plans, could reduce the risk of compulsory admission. Qualitative study on electronic patient files showed that the presence of a psychotic disorder and impaired compliance to antipsychotics were crucial patient factors in the process preceding compulsory admission. Professionals were not as assertive as they could have been in managing signs of relapse. A study on FACT Plus showed substantial shorter length of stay in participants compared to a control group receiving standard FACT care. FACT Plus is an intensive group programme for FACT patients with psychotic disorders and at risk of (compulsory) admission. A study on evolution of dangerousness after compulsory admission showed that dangerousness decreased in approximately two thirds of the patients. Homelessness was associated with persistently high levels of dangerousness. In a study on emergency compulsory psychiatric admissions (ECPA) we found that 15.6% of the patients had had more than one ECPA. Two thirds of the second ECPAs occurred within six months after the first ECPA. The findings of this thesis emphasize that a crisis plans and a structured treatment programmes are essential to reduce the risk of compulsory psychiatric admission, especially in patients with a prior compulsory psychiatric admission.

Due to corona, the PhD defences do not take place publicly in the usual way in the Senate Hall or in the Professor Andries Querido Room. The candidates will defend their dissertation either in a small group or online.