Forensic Practitioners\u2019 Views on Stimulating Moral Development and Moral Growth in Forensic Psychiatric Care

Jona Specker,Maartje H N Schermer,Sigrid Sterckx,Farah Focquaert

doi:10.1007/s12152-018-9363-x

Abstract

In the context of debates on (forensic) psychiatry issues pertaining to moral dimensions of (forensic) psychiatric health care are frequently discussed. These debates invite reflection on the question whether forensic practitioners have a role in stimulating patients’ moral development and moral growth in the context of forensic psychiatric and psychological treatment and care. We conducted a qualitative study to examine to what extent forensic practitioners consider moral development and moral growth to be a part of their current professional practices and to what extent they think that stimulating moral development is a legitimate objective in the context of forensic psychiatric treatment. In addition, we asked how forensic practitioners balance pubic safety and risk management concerns with the interests and wellbeing of the individual patient. We conclude that: (i) elements of moral development and moral growth in forensic psychiatric care practices are to a certain extent inevitable and not necessarily questionable or undesirable; (ii) yet, as in similar debates these elements need to be made explicit in order to discuss the accompanying ethical challenges and boundaries. An open academic, professional and public debate on aspects of stimulating moral betterment within current practices is therefore desirable.

Highlights

A number of separate debates invite reflection on the question whether forensic practitioners have a role in stimulating patients’ moral development and moral growth in the context of forensic psychiatric and psychological treatment and care.Psychiatrist Sean Spence has raised the question whether moral improvement is an implicit, or even explicit, goal of psychiatric treatment: BCan pharmacology help us enhance human morality? (...) I argue that we are already deploying certain medications in a way not totally dissimilar to the foregoing proposal: whenever humans knowingly use drugs as a means to improving their future conduct.^ [1]
The main objective of this study is to explore the question whether forensic practitioners consider stimulating moral development and moral growth to be a part of their current professional practices, and to what extent they think that stimulating moral development is a legitimate objective in the context of forensic psychiatric treatment
The first set of questions offered to participants raised the – deliberately broadly formulated – issue of whether forensic psychiatric treatment and care involve, in one way or another, elements of stimulating moral development and moral growth

Summary

Introduction

A number of separate debates invite reflection on the question whether forensic practitioners have a role in stimulating patients’ moral development and moral growth in the context of forensic psychiatric and psychological treatment and care.Psychiatrist Sean Spence has raised the question whether moral improvement (in the sense of being a better person, or a better behaving person) is an implicit, or even explicit, goal of psychiatric treatment: BCan pharmacology help us enhance human morality? (...) I argue that we are already deploying certain medications in a way not totally dissimilar to the foregoing proposal: whenever humans knowingly use drugs as a means to improving their future conduct.^ [1]. Psychiatrist Sean Spence has raised the question whether moral improvement (in the sense of being a better person, or a better behaving person) is an implicit, or even explicit, goal of psychiatric treatment: BCan pharmacology help us enhance human morality? (...) I argue that we are already deploying certain medications in a way not totally dissimilar to the foregoing proposal: whenever humans knowingly use drugs as a means to improving their future conduct.^ [1]. One example discussed by the authors concerns selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that are prescribed to treat depression and anxiety disorders, but as a possible side-effect may increase aversion to directly causing harm in others [4]

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