The experience of being assessed and detained.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Being sectioned: A qualitative study of the experience of being assessed and detained under the Mental Health Act.
IRAS ID
137743
Contact name
Joe Grace
Contact email
Research summary
Research Question: How do people who have been assessed for detention under the mental health act make sense of their experience?
The background to this research is concerned with psychiatric practice and the Mental Health Act, 1983/2007 (British Government, 2007). This legislation allows medical practitioners to detain and treat people, sometimes against their wishes, the majority of whom are considered to have a mental disorder; this is known as sectioning.
This research is important because it is informed by the Mental Health Service User Movement key values. These are based on combating stigma whilst helping people to stay out of services and function in their communities. A better understanding of the dynamics that make up the assessment experience could help increase targeted psychotherapeutic interventions to promote well-being. It is hoped that this research will help bridge the gap between service provider and service user perspective, with the ultimate aim of improving care.
The design of this study takes the form of semi-structured interviews. Adults who have previously been detained under the Mental Health Act will be invited for interview at a Community Mental Health Team premises; these should take no longer than one and a half hours. The interviews will then be analysed using an interpretative phenomenological approach. This means that the personal experience of being assessed and detained will be the key focus of the study. Interviews will take place over a two month period in the Spring/Summer of 2014. The research will be completed by June, 2015.REC name
East Midlands - Derby Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
14/EM/0146
Date of REC Opinion
13 May 2014
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion