Coercive Treatment Essay
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Grand Canyon University *
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Jan 9, 2024
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Coercive Treatment Essay
Desiree Ortiz
Grand Canyon University: College of Humanities and Social Science PSY 623: Offender Rehabilitation and Reintegration Instructor Tallerico
December 6, 2023
Coercive treatment is a form of mental health treatment that involves the use of physical force or compulsion to compel a person to comply with a particular behavior or habit. The use of
coercive treatment can only be justified if the patient's ability to decide is significantly reduced and there is a serious risk to their health or life that cannot be avoided through less intrusive methods (Steinert, 2017). For instance, if an individual with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is continually shredding paper whenever it encounters it, and the parents attempt various methods to encourage the child to cease, coercion may be employed. In such cases, mild shock may be used to ensure that the child is not harmed.
Coercion is the final resort for mental health treatment when all other treatment options have been exhausted. It should only be employed when the patient is exhibiting aggressive behavior and is endangering themselves or others (Brekke, et, al., 2023). Although the use of coercion should be subject to regulation, in certain situations, such as the regulation of criminal activity, coercion may appear to be the most effective form of treatment.
Many criminal offenders become repeat offenders. A prime example of this is substance offenders (Seaward, et, al., 2021). A case study was conducted in which a patient had damaged his nerve through regular injections. Subsequently, a nerve replacement was performed with Medicaid assistance. The patient was a 24-year-old unemployed male. After the replacement, a friend of the patient visited the hospital and provided him with illegal drugs. This friend then injected the newly replaced nerve, causing the patient to damage it again.
In such cases, it can be argued that these individuals have lost their capacity to make decisions due to the influence of drug addiction. These individuals have limited internal motivations, so extrinsic motivation, in the form of reinforcement or punishment, must be employed to control the actions of these individuals. This is also applicable in cases of excessive
dependence on alcohol. Despite ethical concerns, coerced drug treatment is still practiced (Farabee, et, al., 1998).
In addition to traditional treatments, other forms of treatment may be available, such as education and rehabilitation (Farabee, et, al., 1998). The 12-step program of Alcohol Anonymous is a particularly effective form of treatment for alcohol dependency, as it has been designed to help individuals overcome their addiction. Additionally, education on addiction and substance abuse should be provided on a regular basis, emphasizing the negative consequences of these behaviors to discourage individuals from engaging in them.
It is suggested that comprehensive counseling and family-oriented practices could be implemented to assist the offender in transitioning through the critical stages of addiction and establishing a more secure life. According to Parhar, et, al., 2008, institutions could be established to assist in the acquisition of suitable employment opportunities for the offender, thus
enabling them to break out of the cycle of addiction and become self-sufficient. Therefore, while external motivations, such as legal pressure from criminal justice system, and probable coercion, are typically associated with successful treatment results, the importance of internal motivations and treatment involvement should not be disregarded Steinert,
2017). As the primary difference between voluntary and involuntary treatment clients for substance abuse is the internal motivation for change, treatment protocols for legally coerced clients should reflect the knowledge that, ultimately, the client is the one who will determine the outcome.
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References
Brekke, E., Clausen, H., Brodahl, M., & Landheim, A. S. (2023). Patients’ experiences with coercive mental health treatment in Flexible Assertive Community Treatment: A qualitative study. BMC Psychiatry, 23(1). https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1186/s12888-023-05264-z
Farabee, D., Prendergast, M., & Anglin, *], M. Douglas. (1998). The effectiveness of coerced treatment for drug-abusing offenders. Federal Probation, 62(1), 3. Parhar, K. K., Wormith, J. S., Derkzen, D. M., & Beauregard, A. M. (2008, September 1). Offender coercion in treatment: a meta-analysis of effectiveness. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35(9), 1109. Seaward, H., Wangmo, T., Vogel, T., Graf, M., Egli-Alge, M., Liebrenz, M., & Elger, B. S. (2021). What characterizes a good mental health professional in court-mandated treatment settings?: Findings from a qualitative study with older patients and mental health care professionals. BMC Psychology, 9(1). https://doi-org.lopes.idm.oclc.org/10.1186/s40359-021-00624-4
Steinert, T. (2017). Ethics of coercive treatment and misuse of psychiatry. Psychiatric Services
, 68
(3), 291–294. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.201600066