The decision making process of older adults who elect to receive ECT

Although there is extensive literature on electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), little documentation exists about how an individual makes the decision to receive ECT. This phenomenological study is an exploratory examination of the decision making process of older adults with mental illness who elect to receive ECT. Study participants included 7 older adults without dementia from a suburban geriatric medicine/psychiatry practice who elected to receive ECT. The lived experience of decision making as perceived by these 7 participants was a process that moved them toward wellness. The data revealed four significant themes: Support, Trust, Past Experience, and Desperation. An overriding substantive theme identified as an obstacle was the Stigma of Mental Illness. This study provided a basis for planning clinical practice and building further research.