Predictors of perceived benefit among patients committed by court order in the Netherlands: One-year follow-up

Objective: This study identified predictors of perceived benefit resulting from court-ordered hospitalization in the Netherlands. Methods: This prospective study included 174 psychiatric inpatients committed under court order. Logistic regression was used to examine the relationship between predictor variables and perceived benefit. Results: At one year, 52% of patients evaluated their involuntary hospitalization as beneficial. These patients were more likely to be homeless (odds ratio [OR]=4.13, 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.33-12.84), to have been previously hospitalized voluntarily (OR=2.30, CI=1.18-4.48), and to have high service engagement (OR=2.79, CI=1.19-6.53) or more illness insight (OR=2.78, 95% CI=1.13-6.89). Having a psychotic disorder or higher severity of symptoms at baseline was correlated with an improved perception of benefit. Conclusions: Perceived benefits were predicted by living condition, hospitalization history, service engagement, and illness insight. Clinical characteristics were associated with improvement in perceived benefit. Additional research should focus on causality of associations before effective intervention programs can be developed.

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