Assessment as to the need for psychiatric treatment

Abstract

Assessment of the need for psychiatric treatment is a methodologically neglected area in psychiatry. Nevertheless, its importance is evident both in clinical practice and in epidemiological and clinical research. The concepts of need and need for treatment are by no means unambiguous, because they include value judgements. The need for treatment can be approached from different levels, the individual, the regional and the society level. The concept of psychiatric treatment may also mean different things and needs closer definition.After the discussion of these conceptual problems, the perceived need for psychiatric treatment, the assessment of clinical need for treatment, and the question of the 'right' treatment are especially considered in the article. Assessment, need for psychiatric treatment, methodology.