The attitudes toward committal of patients hospitalized in a psychiatric facility for the first time

This study examines the attitudes toward committal of patients admitted to a psychiatric facility for the first time. Sixteen patients, from a group of 28 patients consecutively admitted to hospital on an Ontario Form 1 certificate were able to complete a satisfactory interview. In general, patients viewed the committal procedure favourably. They endorsed medical professionals as being best qualified to institute the committal procedure. A discrepancy between behaviour documented on the committal form and the patients' own perception of their mental state at the time of committal was noted. These findings are discussed with reference to previous research on civil commitment.