[Dangerous or in need of care? Professional judgements of individuals with confused behavior]
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 23, 2025

SECONDs Administration Guidelines: A Fast Tool to Assess Consciousness in Brain-injured Patients
Published on: February 6, 2021
Background:
The number of police reports about nuisance caused by ‘confused persons’ in the Netherlands has been increasing for years. Psychological problems are suspected in a significant amount of the persons concerned. Stigmatization of these persons as dangerous and violent can influence the decision to send someone into mental healthcare or the judicial system.
Aim:
To investigate initial judgment of a person with confused behavior in a public place by police officers and mental healthcare providers.
Method:
Police officers (n = 53) and mental healthcare providers (n = 78) were presented footage of a person with agitated, hallucinatory and unpredictable behavior in a park. They were asked to answer a number of questions about this person on an online platform.
Results:
Both groups of professionals considered deployment of mental health care more suitable than deployment of the police. Both groups found the person more needy than dangerous. There were no significant differences between the two groups. No relationship was found between judgment and initial decision.
Related Concept Videos
Introduction to Psychological Disorders
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
Personality Disorders: Dependent and Obsessive-Compulsive
Dependent Personality Disorder
Dependent personality disorder is characterized by an excessive reliance on others to manage various aspects of life. Individuals with this disorder often struggle...
Personality Disorders: Paranoid and Schizoid
Paranoid Personality Disorder
Paranoid personality disorder is...
Personality Disorders: Schizotypal and Histrionic
Schizotypal Personality Disorder: Eccentric Behavior and Social Withdrawal
Schizotypal personality disorder is marked by odd or eccentric...
Cognitive Dissonance
Personality Disorders: Narcissistic and Avoidant
Characteristics of Narcissistic Personality Disorder
Narcissistic individuals exhibit an inflated sense of self-importance and an excessive need for admiration. They are often...

