International journal of law and psychiatry
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Int J Law Psychiatry · Jul 2020
ReviewDomestic violence against women and the COVID-19 pandemic: What is the role of psychiatry?
A heightened risk of domestic violence has been associated with infection-reducing measures undertaken by governments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychiatric services can play a key role in addressing this issue by (a) addressing certain risk factors for perpetration of domestic violence through, for example, assertive identification and management of substance misuse; (b) providing support, advocacy and treatment services for victims of domestic violence; and (c) multi-agency working to strengthen medical and social responses to domestic violence. At a time like this, it is important that multi-disciplinary mental health services are strengthened, rather than depleted, in order to address the pressing issues at hand.
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Int J Law Psychiatry · Jul 2020
ReviewThe impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in the precipitation of intimate partner violence.
Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a global pandemic and many have been victims of it long before Covid-19. International organizations have documented an increase in IPV reports during the current pandemic, raising awareness of the potential causes for such an increase. Reflecting on risk factors associated with IPV, and the underlying need of the perpetrators to exert control over the victims, it becomes increasingly important to understand how the current policies of social distancing, self-isolation, and lockdown can precipitate episodes of IPV. ⋯ This article begins by examining the main risk factors more commonly associated with IPV in the literature. It proceeds by reflecting on how these risk factors may be exacerbated during the Covid-19 pandemic, which can explain the increased number of reports. Finally, it emphasizes the new challenges faced by health care professionals, while assisting IPV victims during the pandemic and provides possible recommendations on actions to implement during and beyond the Covid-19 pandemic to prevent such cases.
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Int J Law Psychiatry · Sep 2019
What does impartiality mean in medico-legal psychiatry? An international survey.
Medico-legal psychiatry is the field of forensic psychiatry that consists of reporting to criminal, civil and administrative authorities and testifying in courts of law. As a forensic science, medico-legal psychiatry is based on the principle of impartiality. However, the notion of impartiality is not clearly defined and can be understood in many different ways. ⋯ Results revealed a rather unified view of the issue of impartiality by medico-legal psychiatrists, irrespective of their country and practice conditions. The notions of honesty and striving for objectivity, which are emphasized in several guidelines of forensic psychiatry associations, were cited by many participants. Impartiality appears to be considered as a coherent concept in both normative and consequentialist ethics and represents a useful reference in the practice of medico-legal psychiatry.
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Int J Law Psychiatry · May 2019
How private is your mental health app data? An empirical study of mental health app privacy policies and practices.
Digital mental health services are increasingly endorsed by governments and health professionals as a low cost, accessible alternative or adjunct to face-to-face therapy. App users may suffer loss of personal privacy due to security breaches or common data sharing practices between app developers and third parties. Loss of privacy around personal health data may harm an individual's reputation or health. ⋯ We consider that the app industry pays insufficient attention to protecting the privacy of mental health app users. We advocate for increased monitoring and enforcement of privacy principles and practices in mental health apps and the mobile ecosystem, more broadly. We also suggest a re-framing of regulatory attention that places consumer interests at the centre of guidance.
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Int J Law Psychiatry · May 2019
Pattern of self-injurious behavior and suicide attempts in Italian custodial inmates: A cluster analysis approach.
Self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts are more frequent in prison settings than in the general population and represent a crucial problem. The aims of this work are to assess the prevalence of self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts in an Italian prison setting, to determine whether inmates could be differentiated based on profiles of psychological distress and impulsiveness, and to assess the predictive power of the proposed profiles. A sample of 1422 male inmates of a north Italian penitentiary was assessed upon admission with a clinical interview and completed a set of self-report questionnaires to assess psychological distress and impulsiveness; the number of self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts occurring in the first year of detention was recorded. ⋯ Cluster analysis revealed four clusters: dysregulated (high impulsivity and distress), impulsive (high impulsivity and mean distress), mildly distressed (mean impulsivity and moderate distress) and well-balanced (low impulsivity and distress). The four clusters help to discriminate subjects more at risk of self-injurious behaviors and suicide attempts and are confirmed by the inclusion of risk factors such as marital status and relatives'/social support. Clinical implications are discussed.