Psychiatric Ethics

Abstract

Ethical issues inherent in psychiatric research and clinical practice are invariably complex and multifaceted. Well-reasoned ethical decision-making is essential to deal effectively with patients and enhance their care. Drawing on the positive reception of Psychiatric Ethics since its first publication in 1981, this highly anticipated fifth edition offers psychiatrists and other mental health professionals a coherent guide to dealing with the diverse ethical issues that challenge them. This edition has been substantially updated to reflect the many changes that have occurred in the field during the past decade. Its 25 chapters are grouped in three sections, as follows: 1) clinical practice in child and adolescent psychiatry, consultation-liaison psychiatry, psychogeriatrics, community psychiatry, and forensic psychiatry; 2) relevant basic sciences such as neuroethics and genetics; and 3) philosophical and social contexts including the history of ethics in psychiatry and the nature of professionalism. Principal aspects of clinical practice in general, such as confidentiality, boundary violations, and involuntary treatment, are covered comprehensively, as is a new chapter on diagnosis. Given the contributors’ expertise in their respective fields, Psychiatric Ethics will undoubtedly continue to serve as a significant resource for all mental health professionals, whatever the role they play in psychiatry. It will also benefit students of moral philosophy in their professional pursuits.