Individuals experiences of involuntary admissions and preserving control: qualitative study: Qualitative study

BackgroundA theoretical model of individuals experiences before, during and after involuntary admission has not yet been established.AimsTo develop an understanding of individuals experiences over tie course of the involuntary admission process.MethodFifty individuals were recruited through purposive and theoretical sampling and interviewed 3 months after their involuntary admission. Analyses were conducted using a Straussian grounded theory approach.ResultsThe theory of preserving control (ToPC) emerged from individuals accounts of how they adapted to the experience of involuntary admission. The ToPC explains how individuals manage to reclaim control over their emotional, personal and social lives and consists of three categories: losing control, regaining control and maintaining control, and a number of related subcategories.ConclusionsInvoluntary admission triggers a multifaceted process of control preservation. Clinicians need to develop therapeutic approaches that enable individuals to regain and maintain control over tie course of their involuntary admission.