Women constitute a minority among patients in forensic psychiatric care, which aims to improve the patients’ health while ensuring safety for patients, caregivers, and society. Participation in forensic psychiatric care can be complex; its definition depends on the context and perspective and is influenced by several factors. This study examined the perceptions of female patients and caregivers regarding their participation, interactions, and experiences within the forensic psychiatric care environment. The participants (N=108) completed validated questionnaires, including the Quality in Psychiatric Care Forensic Inpatient version, Verbal and Social Interactions, and EssenCES. The data were analyzed using both descriptive and analytical statistics. For female patients, establishing a care relationship and feeling a sense of cohesion with other patients, along with a therapeutic approach from caregivers, are crucial for perceived participation. The dual paradigm of medicine and law in forensic psychiatric care impacts both patients and caregivers. Safe wards and supportive care are essential for enhancing patients’ well-being and helping them achieve their goals. Due to the results and the limited sample size, which reflects the actual low number of female patients, further research is needed. Also, to compare the differences (or similarities) between female and male patients.

The aims of this study were to investigate the psychometric properties and dimensionality of the staff and patient versions of the Verbal and Social Interaction questionnaire for psychiatric inpatient care (VSI-IP) and to describe and compare the perceptions of nursing staff and patients concerning the frequency and importance of verbal and social interactions in this setting. The two groups from psychiatric inpatient settings in Sweden completed the questionnaire. A Confirmatory Factor Analysis was performed separately on the patient and staff versions, and a Mann-Whitney U-test was used to compare the perceptions of the patients and the staff. The factor structure of an outpatient version of the questionnaire (VSI-OP) was replicated in the data collected in inpatient settings thus indicating that it could be used for comparisons between settings. We found that the patients rated the frequency of the verbal and social interactions significantly lower than the nursing staff did, which is concerning and possible reasons for this are discussed. Furthermore, the two groups differed greatly in terms of the category ' establishing structure and routines`, which warrants further investigation.

Introduction: A core element of caring science, is for caregivers to understand and collaborate with patients. Previous research shows that women receiving forensic psychiatric care evoke strong emotions among caregivers, but there is little research on the subject, and increased knowledge about caregivers’ experiences of providing care for female patients in forensic psychiatry, and of balancing healthcare with public safety considerations, is needed for the continued development of evidence-based care.

Method: This qualitative study aimed to describe and gain a greater understanding of caregivers’ experiences of providing care for female patients in forensic psychiatric care. The study is based on 14 interviews with caregivers working with female patients at four forensic psychiatric clinics. The data were analyzed using a phenomenological hermeneutical method, which is suitable for researching lived experiences. The analysis was conducted in accordance with the method described by Lindseth and Norberg and revealed that caregivers emphasized the importance of being present in relation to the women.

Results: The following themes emerged: Providing care that is responsive to the conditions in forensic psychiatric care, Being an individual in a caring relationship, Providing support and strength, and Allowing the patient’s needs to determine the course of the care. The women were perceived as less physically strong than male patients but engaged in acts of violence against themselves and others. This could result in coercive measures that could also be experienced as uncomfortable for the caregivers, particularly when having to restrain the women.

Caring for women in compulsory psychiatric inpatient care entails having to make a number of different moral considerations. Using coercive measures leads to difficulties in creating a caring relationship and the care given to the women thus needs to be as ethical as possible. The aim was to describe healthcare staff’s experiences of caring for women in compulsory psychiatric inpatient care. Eleven healthcare staff were interviewed, and the material was analyzed with a Reflective Lifeworld Research approach. The results show that healthcare staff move between self-examination and examining their colleagues closely and are also careful about protecting the women’s privacy. An emotional rollercoaster is set in motion when the women’s life situation affects the healthcare staff. Bridges are built, both with the next of kin but also with other authorities. It can be challenging to include the next of kin in the care for women in compulsory care since they may have a different view to that of the healthcare staff. Providing the healthcare staff with professional support and a supportive care environment may enhance their ability to provide a personalized care for the women in compulsory care.

Adults with ADHD face many challenges in their daily lives. Daily life can be made easier by learning from others or developing one’s own strategies. The healthcare services can provide information and interventions, but we know little about what the adults with ADHD themselves say they need, and in which ways they are involved in their care. The purpose of this study is to explore the experiences adults with ADHD have of being involved in their care. Fifteen semi structured in-depth interviews were conducted. The data were analyzed with qualitative latent content analysis that revealed one major theme: “Becoming someone like anyone else” and three sub-themes “Being connected”, “Finding a place in companionship” and “Pathways to participation in care”. The findings of this study emphasize that adults with ADHD express a desire to be involved in the care and treatment for their ADHD if a sense of security and their information needs are met. This involvement becomes part of what leads them towards a more self-sufficient state where they can feel like anyone else and gain more strategies to manage their daily lives.

Introduction: Studies suggest that experiences of patient participation, as described by both patients and staff, are associated with a significant caring relationship of high quality.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate staffs' and patients' self-reported perceptions on participation and the frequency and importance of verbal and social interactions in high security forensic psychiatry.

Method: The questionnaire Verbal and Social Interactions (VSI) was used together with the subscale Participation from Qualityin Psychiatric Care (QPC). The study was conducted at a large forensic psychiatric clinic in Sweden.

Results: Staff and patients rated the frequency of VSI differently while reporting the same perceived degree of patient participation. All categories of VSI were significantly correlated with perceived level of participation with medium or small effect size for the patients.

Discussion: Patients' perceived participation seems to depend on verbal and social interaction within the specific categories ‘Showing interest in the patients’ feelings, experiences, and behavior’ and ‘Helping the patients establish structure and routines in their everyday life’. There was, however, a negative association for the latter.

Implications for Practice: The results give a better understanding of what kind of interactions that affect patients' perceived level of participation.

Relevance Statement: Patient participant is a prioritised area for development in forensic psychiatry. The study contributes to a better understanding of what types of interactions that affect the perceived level of participation, while at the same time, it shows important similarities and differences between patient and staff perspectives

Background: The therapeutic relationship has been identified as essential for ensuring high-quality care in psychiatric outpatient services, as highlighted in several studies. This study focuses on the content of interactions between patients and staff in psychiatric outpatient care, as well as the quality of care provided, as perceived by the patients.

Aim: The aim of this study is to explore the relationship between these interactions and aspects of the perceived quality of care from the perspective of patients in psychiatric outpatient services.

Methods: A sample of 706 patients from psychiatric outpatient clinics in Sweden completed the Verbal and Social Interaction Outpatient (VSI-OP) and the Quality in Psychiatric Care—Outpatient (QPC-OP) instruments. A structural equation model was conducted to explore these associations. The study was approved by the Regional Ethical Review Board in Uppsala, Sweden (Dnr. 2018/186).

Results: The model revealed that the staff showing an interest in the patients' feelings, experiences and behaviour influences the patients' perceived quality of participation through an intricate network of mediator variables, including the staff's ability to establish a relationship, a good encounter, support and a high level of information to the patients. High levels of Participation/Empowerment indicate a high level of quality of care in a psychiatric outpatient context.

Implication for Practice: The presented model provides an understanding of the associations between staff and patient interactions and perceived quality of care and sheds light on important aspects of quality of care from the perspective of the patients.

This systematic review aims to synthesise the research on children's perceptions and experiences of their involvement in a parent's mental health care. After an extensive search and quality appraisal, 22 articles remained and were included in the review. The results show that children-although resourceful and with good intentions-frequently felt excluded. They hungered for information and felt their questions were abandoned. They also felt caught in a tumultuous life situation and struggled for support. Finally, they expressed the need to be seen and ultimately did not feel involved in their parent's mental health care.

Objective To investigate the relationship between perceived mental health service provision and quality of life (QoL) as perceived by patients in psychiatric outpatient care.Methods A total of 373 adult patients registered at 15 psychiatric outpatient clinics in three regions in central and southern Sweden were included in the study. Survey data were collected using a questionnaire on mental health service provision, symptom severity, recovery, clinical diagnosis, sociodemographics (serving as independent variables) and QoL (serving as the dependent variable). Three aspects of mental health service provision were used: patients' perceived quality of care, perceived staff-patient interaction, and patient reported psychiatric treatments. Structural equation modelling was used to model the relationship among the variables.Results Variables in mental health service provision showed few direct associations with patients' perceived QoL. Instead, the associations of mental health service provision on QoL were mainly mediated through symptom severity and recovery. These relationships were retained after adjusting for sociodemographic variables and clinical diagnoses. The final model achieved excellent goodness of fit (chi 2 = 49.502, p = 0.230, RMSEA = 0.020, CFI = 0.997 and a SRMR = 0.024).Conclusion This study shows that mental health service provision is associated with patients' perceived QoL; however, this association is mostly indirect and mediated by reduced symptom severity and increased recovery. This finding can help inform the design of future interventions to enhance service provision to improve patients' QoL.

It  is  seldom  that  it  is  only  the  patient  who  is  affected  when  someone  is  admitted  to  compulsory  psychiatric  inpatient  care,  the  next  of  kin  is  usually  also  impacted.  The  aim  was  to  describe  the  lived  experiences  of  being  a  next  of  kin  to  a  woman  in  need  of  compulsory  psychiatric  inpatient  care.  Ten  next  of  kin  were  interviewed  and  the  material  was  analyzed  with  a  Reflective  Lifeworld  Research  approach.  The  results  show  loneliness  and  feelings  that  their  existence  has  collapsed.  An  emotional  duality  is  described  in  the  realization  that  the  care  is  needed  but  they  are  devastated  that  the  woman  is  there.  A  trust  exists,  but  it  changes  when  the  next  of  kin  are  no  longer  a  part  of  the  care  process.