Psychiatry Training Research Articles

Embracing different languages and local differences: Co-constructive patient simulation strengthens host countries' clinical training in psychiatry.

Global education in psychiatry is heavily influenced by knowledge from Western, high-income countries, which obscures local voices and expertise. To adapt a human simulation model to psychiatric education in a context that is specific to local languages and cultures. We conducted an observational study consisting of six human simulation sessions with standardized patients from two host countries, speaking their native languages, and following an adaptation of the co-constructive patient simulation (CCPS) model. As local faculty became increasingly familiar with the CCPS approach, they took on the role of facilitators-in their country's native language. Fifty-three learners participated: 19 child and adolescent psychiatry trainees and 3 faculty members in Türkiye (as a group that met online during 3 consecutive months); and 24 trainees and 7 faculty in Israel (divided into 3 groups, in parallel in-person sessions during a single training day). Each of the six cases reflected local realities and clinical challenges, and was associated with specific learning goals identified by each case-writing trainee. Human simulation has not been fully incorporated into psychiatric education: The creation of immersive clinical experiences and the strengthening of reflective practice are two areas ripe for development. Our adaptations of CCPS can also strengthen local and regional networks and psychiatric communities of practice. Finally, the model can help question and press against hegemonies in psychiatric training that overshadow local expertise.

Effectiveness of Entrustable Professional Activity-Based Clinical Psychiatry Training for Indian Medical Interns: A Preliminary Study

Objective Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) are discretely measurable specific professional tasks that integrate multiple competencies to define and provide varying levels of faculty support per trainee needs. Methods: We developed an EPA-based psychiatry curriculum for medical interns. Fifty-four interns completed the OSCE stations, Multiple Choice Questions, and Attitude questionnaires to assess EPAs, knowledge and attitudes towards the relevance and utility of clinical psychiatry in general practice. Results: Two weeks of EPA-based psychiatry training resulted in improvement in median scores on attitude questions (p < 0.05), clinical skills measured using EPA levels. Conclusions: EPA-based curriculum can improve clinical skills, knowledge, and attitudes towards clinical psychiatry in interns.

Attitudes and psychotropic preferences of primary care providers in the management of mental disorders: a web-based survey.

Many variables may affect the approaches of primary care providers (PCPs) to mental disorders. This study was aimed at reaching PCPs actively practicing in Turkey through a web-based survey and determining their practices and attitudes regarding mental disorders. This was a web-based, quantitative, cross-sectional, primary care approach-based observational survey. Data from 454 PCPs (213 male, 241 female; 321 general practitioners, 133 family medicine specialists) were examined. In-service training in psychiatry (p < 0.001), using classification criteria when evaluating mental disorders (p < 0.001), and experience in diagnosing mental disorders (p = 0.003) were more prevalent among family medicine specialists than general practitioners. Regardless of specialization status, PCPs reported the most difficulty diagnosing bipolar disorder (62.33%) and following-up alcohol/drug use disorder (52.20%). Significant differences in the use of psychotropic medications were observed between general practitioners and family medicine specialists. While the rate of direct referral to psychiatry without intervening in certain situations was higher among general practitioners, variety of psychotropic medication use were also more evident among them. Misinformation that antidepressants cause forgetfulness, numbness, suicide, and addiction was prevalent among all PCPs. Those who had in-service training in psychiatry had significantly more experience in using classification criteria, diagnosing and starting treatment for mental disorders, using psychotropic medications, and encountering suicide-related situations (p < 0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that psychiatry in-service training experience can improve the use of classification criteria, suicide detection, antidepressant choice in anxiety, and understanding the addictive nature of antidepressants (Sensitivity = 88.6%; Specificity = 98.3%; Beginning block -2 Log likelihood 628.946, overall p value < 0.001; Block one -2 Log likelihood 141.054a, Cox & Snell R 2 = 0.659, Nagelkerke R 2 = 0.878; Hosmer and Lemeshow Test p = 0.938). This study makes significant contributions to the literature by discussing the subject in detail and comparing general practitioners and family medicine specialists. Regardless of their specialty status, PCPs' knowledge about mental disorders needs to be improved. In-service psychiatry training is one of the tools that can be used for this purpose.

Psychotherapy training in postgraduate psychiatry training in Nigeria - Are we doing enough?

Nigeria, with an estimated 40 million people living with mental disorders, faces a critical shortage of psychiatrists to address the significant burden. Despite psychotherapy being integral to psychiatric training, it lacks structure, consistency and adequate supervision. This is alarming, particularly given the substantial demand for specialized psychotherapeutic support among those with mental illness. A cross-sectional study utilised an online survey targeting early career psychiatrists recruited from the Early Career Psychiatrists section of the Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria. The questionnaire was distributed to 252 early career psychiatrists across Nigeria, with a 42.9% response rate, of which 50% were male, with 73.2% trainees and 26.8% early career psychiatrists. While 52.8% had received some psychotherapy training, only 2.8% were qualified psychotherapists. Notably, only 27.6% of those with psychotherapy training had over 100 hours of training. Factors such as receiving psychotherapy training during postgraduate training and having supervised psychotherapy training were found significant for having independent psychotherapy training. There is little emphasis on psychotherapy training in the postgraduate training in Nigeria. Those who had full training in psychotherapy were self-sponsored. Structured, supervised and mandatory psychotherapy within psychiatry training curriculum is recommended.

Impact of Psychiatry Posting on Attitudes Toward Mental Illness: A Prospective Cohort Study of Medical Students From Three Universities.

Negative attitudes towards mental illness are known to exist among medical students in Nigeria. However, the effect of undergoing a rotation in psychiatry on their attitudes is uncertain. It aimed to determine the effect of psychiatry posting during medical training on medical students' attitudes toward mental illness and examine the association of posting-related and demographic factors with their attitudes. It is a prospective cohort study in which 187 medical students from three different universities were followed up during their psychiatry postings in two different posting sites. Questionnaires containing basic demography, posting-related variables, and the Community Attitude to Mental Illness (CAMI) scale were administered to all available students before and after the rotation in psychiatry. A paired t-test was applied to test the differences in the CAMI scores before and after posting, while ANOVA and hierarchical regression were utilized to determine the association of variables with the CAMI scores. There were significant differences between the pre-and post-rotation CAMI scores in CAMI's social restrictiveness (SR) and community mental health ideology (CMHI) domains, indicating improved attitudes. Demographic factors had no significant influence on the students' attitudes, but the length of posting, university of the students, and posting sites had varying impacts. Psychiatry rotation has a positive impact on students' attitudes toward mental illness in both posting sites, particularly in the domains of SR and CMHI. This underscores the importance of psychiatry training in medical education in changing the attitudes of future healthcare professionals.

BARRIERS TO CLOZAPINE USE IN TREATMENT-REFRACTORY POPULATION IN KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Objective: To investigate the causes accountable for serving as barriers in prescribing clozapine in several outpatient departments in Karachi, Pakistan. Study Desgin: A cross- Sectional Study. Duration and Place od Study: Psychiatrist and residents conducting clinics in karachi, May to July 2022. Method: This study was conducted over three months periods, using a structured questionnaire from 105 physicians with previous formal training in psychiatry. Statistical analysis was done using the Chi-Square test of association. Results: Out of 105 doctors offering psychiatric services at various locations, 70% mentioned that they were uncomfortable prescribing clozapine earlier in the course, with its adverse effects profile being the most popular reason for its avoidance by the patients and/or their families. Clozapine's availability and its cost were also common barriers to prescribing clozapine. Most doctors agreed that they would have felt more comfortable if they had had some clozapine training and attended clozapine clinics during their training. Conclusion: The anticipation of medication nonadherence and monitoring requirements coupled with overestimating the adverse effect profile stems from inadequate experience with the drug Steps should be taken by the graduate medical education at the training hospitals to organize clozapine clinics and offer clozapine training to promote the use of this effective drug to improve the prognosis and function suffering from this debilitating illness.

Psychiatry trainee experience of working in a child and adolescent eating disorder program.

Eating disorders are serious psychiatric conditions that affect people of all ages. Many psychiatry trainees' first and only experience with eating disorders during training is their Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (CAP) rotation. This study aimed to explore the learning experience of psychiatry trainees working within an Eating Disorder Program (EDP) during their CAP rotation. Fifteen trainees who participated in the EDP were recruited to complete an online survey and focus groups; a thematic analysis design was used to identify themes emerging from their responses. Themes emerged from the trainee learning experience of working in the EDP around what they found they learnt, what aided that process, what was difficult, and recommendations for future improvement. This study provided insight into the trainee experience in an EDP as one example of how trainees can learn about eating disorders and one way that could inform future workforce and training initiatives.

Neuroscience in pictures:1. History of psychiatric neuroscience

Our understanding of the brain basis of mental illness has evolved over three and half millennia. Early insights into the role of the brain in relation to the mind faded during the middle ages as mental illness became the province of religion, spirituality, and philosophy. Psychiatry became a medical discipline again as medical and scientific thinking evolved during the 17th century. However, progress in neuroscience and astute clinical observations were punctuated by setbacks due to lingering dualism, reductionistic thinking, and dogma. Accelerating neuroscience discoveries and methodological innovations are beginning to bring neuroscience and psychiatry closer than ever as we begin the 21st century, This pictorial article seeks to briefly highlight this journey for an early trainee in psychiatry and related professions in mind.

Attitudes of psychiatrists towards people with mental illness: a cross-sectional, multicentre study of stigma in 32 European countries

Mental health-related stigma occurs among the public and professionals alike. The lived experience of mental illness has been linked to less stigmatising attitudes. However, data on psychiatrists and the relationship between stigmatising attitudes and psychotherapeutic activity or case discussion groups remains scarce. A cross-sectional multicentre study was performed in 32 European countries to investigate the lived experiences and attitudes of psychiatrists toward patients with mental illness as well as the relationship between stigma, psychosocial and professional factors. The self-reported, anonymous, internet-based Opening Minds Stigma Scale for Health Care Providers was used to measure the stigmatising attitudes. The survey was translated into the local language of each participating country. All participants were practising specialists and trainees in general adult or child and adolescent psychiatry. The study took place between 2nd October, 2019 and 9th July, 2021 and was preregistered at ClinicalTrial.gov (NCT04644978). A total of 4245 psychiatrists completed the survey. The majority, 2797 (66%), had completed training in psychiatry, and 3320 (78%) worked in adult psychiatry. The final regression model showed that across European countries more favourable attitudes toward people with mental illness were statistically significantly associated with the lived experience of participants (including seeking help for their own mental health conditions (d=-0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI)=-1.68 to-0.15, p=0.019), receiving medical treatment for a mental illness (d=-0.88, 95% CI=-1.71 to-0.04, p=0.040), as well as having a friend or a family member similarly affected (d=-0.68, 95% CI=-1.14 to-0.22, p=0.004)), being surrounded by colleagues who are less stigmatising (d=-0.98, 95% CI=-1.26 to-0.70, p<0.001), providing psychotherapy to patients (d=-1.14, 95% CI=-1.63 to-0.65 p<0.001), and being open to (d=-1.69, 95% CI=-2.53 to-0.85, p<0.001) and actively participating in (d=-0.94, 95% CI=-1.45 to-0.42, p<0.001) case discussion, supervision, or Balint groups. Our study highlights the importance of psychotherapy training, supervision, case discussions and Balint groups in reducing the stigmatising attitudes of psychiatrists toward patients. As the findings represent cross-national predictors, Europe-wide policy interventions, national psychiatric education systems and the management of psychiatric institutions should take these findings into consideration. National Youth Talent Award (Ministry of Human Resources, Hungary, (NTP-NFTÖ-20-B-0134). All authors received no funding for their contribution.

The Practice of Prescribing Antidepressants During Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Among Mental Health Practitioners in Tertiary Care Centers in Oman.

This study sought to determine the confidence level of mental health practitioners in Oman regarding the use of antidepressants during pregnancy and breastfeeding, assess their knowledge and need for further training in this area, and examine their current prescribing patterns and preferences. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted from May to June 2017 among all practitioners in the psychiatry specialty, including medical officers authorized to prescribe medications, at the Behavioral Medicine Department of Sultan Qaboos University Hospital and Al Masarra Hospital. Forty-two practitioners (response rate = 89.4%) responded to the questionnaire. Of them, 10 (23.8%) had no experience, while 30 (71.4%) had experience in prescribing antidepressants during both pregnancy and breastfeeding periods. Twenty-seven (64.3%) respondents felt that they were confident in prescribing antidepressants for women during their perinatal period, while 30.0% were neutral. Moreover, 35 (83.3%) participants expressed the need for more training in this area. Furthermore, 34 (81.0%) believed that more training in perinatal psychiatry should be included in the psychiatry curriculum. There was no consistent prescribing pattern (either prescribing or avoiding) among our participating practitioners during the first trimester of pregnancy and breastfeeding periods. The drug of choice in the first trimester of pregnancy was fluoxetine preferred by approximately 85.0% of the practitioners, but avoided by 10.0% of practitioners in the same period. This was followed by amitriptyline (50.0% vs. 23.0%), sertraline (50.0% vs. 9.0%), imipramine (28.0% vs. 84.0%). During breastfeeding, the drug of choice for approximately 74.0% of the practitioners was paroxetine, but avoided by 15.0% of practitioners. This was followed by sertraline (50.0% vs. 8.0%). The most common reasons for prescription during pregnancy were safety, evidence-based practice, and low teratogenicity. For breastfeeding, the main reasons for prescription were low levels of the drug in breast milk, safety, and evidence-based practice. On the other hand, high teratogenicity, neonatal side effects, limited data, and lack of evidence were among the most common reasons behind avoiding prescribing during pregnancy, while high levels of breast milk, neonatal side effects, limited evidence, and safety concerns were the most common reasons during the breastfeeding period. There was inconsistency among mental health practitioners in making prescription decisions and in their prescribing patterns.

The perspectives of hospital doctors about end-of-life care in people with mental illness: an observational pilot study.

Negative attitudes towards people living with mental illness (PLWMI), defined here as mentalism, are a major contribution to health care inequity, which may extend into end-of-life care. There is a clear need for investigation of the attitudes of doctors towards PLWMI at the end of life as doctors may lead processes of care that contribute to this inequity. The aim of this pilot study is to examine the perspectives of hospital-based doctors regarding end-of-life care and medical decision-making in PLWMI. A survey was created to explore whether mentalism is present in the perspectives of hospital doctors regarding end-of-life care for PLWMI. The survey included demographic characteristics of participants and questions comprising statements and vignettes that required agree/disagree responses. Descriptive statistics were used to summarise responses, and chi-square tests examined associations with demographic variables. The survey was commenced by 48 hospital-based doctors and completed by 45. Descriptive statistics indicated that mentalism is present in the attitudes of hospital doctors regarding end-of-life care of PWLMI, with 47 of 48 participants (98%) endorsing at least one mentalist response. One significant association found that psychiatrists and psychiatry trainees were less likely to endorse a stereotype response in one vignette. This preliminary study addresses a gap within the literature on the potential contribution of mentalist attitudes in doctors to the poorer end-of-life care outcomes for PLWMI. The findings highlight the need for further study of this topic and suggest a role for targeted medical education in the pursuit of health care equality for PLWMI.

A psychiatric trainee perspective on community-based mental health interventions in Portugal

Psychiatric and substance use disorders contribute significantly to the burden of years lived with disability in Portugal. Various cultural, social, and geographical factors seem to contribute to this disease burden, including rural-to-urban migration, social isolation, alcohol use, and psychiatric care stigma. For this reason, mental health policies under the National Mental Health Program have been implemented, particularly in developing community mental health teams (CMHTs) at the national level. As psychiatry trainees, this time of change in the organisation of services is also a learning opportunity, so this article aims to reflect on some of the national problems that seem to contribute to the state of national mental health and how current policies might be the appropriate response.

Undergraduate Training in Psychiatry: Observational Perspective of Medical Officers Working at Primary Health-care Settings

Abstract Background: Primary care physicians are not adequately trained to tackle mental health problems. The study aimed to evaluate undergraduate training in Psychiatry: An observational perspective of medical officers. Materials and Methods: It was a cross-sectional study conducted in North India. Participants were assessed on a self-designed questionnaire developed by the Indian psychiatric society to assess various aspects of undergraduate training. Other questionnaires measured residents’ satisfaction with the quality of training programs and perceived need for psychiatric training in undergraduate courses. Results: The participant’s mean age was 32.4 years; majorities were male medical officers. About one-tenth reported that there were no separate psychiatry departments and designated psychiatry consultants in their college. Approximately 50% reported: No regular supervision by any psychiatric faculty or having psychiatric disorders discussions in clinical rounds. More than half (50.9%) were not confident enough to identify common signs and symptoms of psychiatric problems. From one-third to half of the participants were unsatisfied with various aspects of the training program, like teaching skills, diagnostic interviews, clinical posting, etc. Majority (77.3%–83.7%) agreed that there is a need to improve the psychiatry training program; during the clinic rounds, psychiatric diagnosis should be discussed, and psychiatry should be a separate subject in under-graduation. Conclusion: Primary health-care physicians were unsatisfied with an undergraduate psychiatry training program. Hence, psychiatry should be an independent subject during the undergraduate training program, with dedicated theoretical and clinical hours for psychiatry training and a separate paper for evaluation.

Australian Psychiatrists and Trainee Psychiatrists’ Perceptions of Chemical Restraint of Adults with Intellectual Disability

ABSTRACT Background Psychiatrists prescribe the psychotropic medication that is usedto manage behaviors of concern (BOC) in people with intellectual disability(ID) (i.e., chemical restraint), and their attitudes and perceptions towardsthis treatment are important topics for study. Methods 133 Queenslandpsychiatrists and psychiatry trainees completed a survey on attitudes andperceptions of ID and psychotropic medication. Exploratory cluster analysis wasperformed on 14 Likert items from this survey to detect groupings within thedata. Results Cluster analysis indicated the existence of two distinct clusters.While both groups were willing to be involved in the treatment of adults with ID,Cluster 1 held attitudes that showed inconsistencies with human rights principlesand with international guidelines regarding psychotropic medication use for BOC. Conclusions Our study highlights that the attitudes and perceptions ofa significant subgroup of psychiatrists may contribute to the overprescribingof psychotropics for BOC.

Family OSCEs in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training: Formative Evaluation Involving Adolescent Simulated Patients.

Family OSCEs in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Training: Formative Evaluation Involving Adolescent Simulated Patients.

Impact of clinical rotational posting on attitude toward psychiatry of undergraduate medical students in Malaysia.

Almost all over the world, psychiatry training of undergraduate medical students has been criticized to be deficient in imparting required knowledge and improving the perception of students towards psychiatry and psychiatric treatment. Considering the large mental health need gap in the community, it is essential to improve undergraduate students' attitude toward psychiatry. Hence, this study was planned to study the impact of psychiatry clinical posting on attitude toward psychiatry of undergraduate medical students. Undergraduate medical students undergoing psychiatry posting were assessed on the first and last day of clinical posting with the help of semi-structured proforma consisting of sociodemographic information, favored future career choice, the relevance of psychiatry to their future careers, the usefulness of particular knowledge and skills, the value of knowledge of psychiatric specialties and the utility of different settings for learning psychiatry. After their clinical posting, students had a more positive attitude towards the usefulness of psychiatry knowledge in future general practice and the usefulness of psychiatry knowledge from undergraduate training in the future. Knowledge of alcohol withdrawal management, detection and management of delirium, and Mental Health Acts were perceived more essential in the future. Also, specialties such as deaddiction and child and adolescent psychiatry were felt more useful in future practice. After posting, students perceived that psychiatry can also be learned at medical and surgical wards as well as during home visits. However, despite some positive changes in attitude toward psychiatry, there was no significant change in choosing psychiatry as a career by the students after posting. Undergraduate psychiatry training during clinical posting was able to make some positive changes in the knowledge and attitude of students. However, still, there were lacunae in some areas of concern. Preference of psychiatry as a branch of specialization was not increased after posting. This indicates the need for better reforms in psychiatry education at the undergraduate level to improve the perception of undergraduate students about psychiatry.

(195) Reproductive Psychiatry Training within C-L Psychiatry Fellowship Programs

(195) Reproductive Psychiatry Training within C-L Psychiatry Fellowship Programs

Advancing psychiatry trainee wellbeing and safety: Building on RANZCP Position Statement 48.

The RANZCP recently released Position Statement 48 on the 'safety and wellbeing of psychiatrists and those in psychiatry training'. This article will examine the five key domains highlighted by this statement and provide suggestions on how this guidance might relate to trainees. The domains covered are (i) safe workplaces free from discrimination, bullying, harassment, and violence; (ii) positive team cultures; (iii) positive professional peer relationships; (iv) supportive supervision and mentorship; and (v) work-life balance. In the context of the significant and complex demands of psychiatry training, Position Statement 48 helps to provide a framework for trainees and the people and systems that support them to understand, anticipate, and successfully manage the potential risks to trainee wellbeing and safety.

A Clinical Audit of Mental State Examination Documentation Among Psychiatric Residents in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Introduction: Modern psychiatry uses Mental State Examination (MSE) as a tool for collecting data and assisting a psychiatrist in developing patient’s working psychiatric diagnosis. There are currently no national criteria on a definitive format of MSE, nor do the bulk of psychiatry training programs insist upon it. However, to ensure proper documentation of MSE results, following a structured format is needed, ensuring that all relevant components of the examination are covered. For this, we conducted this clinical audit regarding proper MSE documentation within the Psychiatry department of a tertiary care hospital. Methods: The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry, Civil Hospital Karachi between 15-02-2023 till 15- 04-2023 after approval by Head of Department. A standardized MSE format consisting of 11 parameters of psychiatric analysis was prepared according to British Medical Journal (BMJ) and Oxford University Press guidelines. The parameters incorporated appropriate date, time, and signature of the examining doctor, in addition to proper documentation of appearance, behavior, speech, mood and affect, suicidal and homicidal risk, thought process, perception, cognition (Orientation, attention, concentration, memory and abstract thinking), insight, judgement, and event notes/progress notes sections. The study was divided into two cycles. A retrospective analysis to detect the shortcomings of MSE documentation was done (sample size n=30), followed by a second cycle, in which a standardized MSE template was provided to all psychiatric residents to examine patients prospectively for the next 4 weeks. Data was analyzed using SPSS software to compare the improved changes in MSE documentation. Results: The result showed that all 11 parameters were recorded correctly, however certain sub-parameters were recorded poorly. The least recorded parameters were date of examination (53.3%), Physical stigmata (43.3%), psychomotor retardation (16.7%), and signs of Extrapyramidal symptoms (10.0%), speech assessment (46.7%), suicidal risk (20.0%), and homicidal risk (13.3%), perception assessment [Illusion (16.7%), depersonalization (13.3%), derealization (16.7%) and memory assessment. Documentation of event notes/progress notes was also recorded poorly (33.3%)]. There was an overall improvement in the documentation pattern of all the 11 parameters of MSE during the second audit cycle. The parameters and sub-parameters with an improvement included physical stigmata (66.7%), psychomotor retardation (76.7%), signs of Extrapyramidal symptoms (83.3%), speech assessment (90.0%), suicidal risk (83.3 %%), homicidal risk (83.3%), perception assessment [Illusion (86.7%), depersonalization (86.7%), derealization (80.0%)] and memory assessment. Patient’s name and registration number were perfectly recorded with a percentage of 100% in the first audit cycle, however it declined to 86.7% in the second cycle. There were also marginal improvements in documentation of date of examination and examining doctor’s name. Conclusion: The introduction of an MSE format and consultant supervision of records improved the standard of MSE recording as well as basic medico-legal requirements by psychiatric trainees

La formation des professionnels en psychiatrie légale : résultats d’une enquête en Occitanie

ObjectivesSince the enactment of the French law of 4 March 2002, patients’ rights have been the subject of constant legislative evolution and particular attention from many independent administrative authorities. In psychiatry, these have led to numerous legal reforms over the years. Moreover, psychiatry is a medical specialty with abundant, long-standing and more than ever topical interactions with the judicial system (psychiatric care without consent, isolation and restraint, court-ordered care, psychiatric care in prisons, treatment of perpetrators of sexual violence, judicial expertise or the question of lack of criminal responsibility due to a mental disorder). In response to the many legal questions asked by medical and paramedical teams, and to the growing interest in research in forensic psychiatry, a unit called EPL (Espace de Psychiatrie Légale) was created, composed of a multidisciplinary team, based in the department of Haute-Garonne, France. In order to adjust its scope of intervention, a questionnaire was distributed to mental health professionals to assess their training needs in forensic psychiatry. In this article, we aim to present and discuss the results of this survey. MethodsWe used a self-assessment survey designed by the multidisciplinary team of the EPL and which was filled out online by the respondents. The target population was all the professionals working in mental health facilities, members of the FERREPSY Occitanie research federation. The questionnaire consisted of several sections relating to the respondents, the typology of patients under their care, the professionals’ daily practice, and training in and knowledge of forensic psychiatry. We included some open-ended questions on the situations encountered that may have presented difficulties and on the impact of legislative changes on the daily practice of professionals. All responses were analyzed anonymously. ResultsFrom 05/05/21 to 17/07/21, 155 professionals responded. Most of them were psychiatrists (32.3%), healthcare managers (20.6%) or nurses (18.7%). The majority were women (78.7%) and had been working in Haute-Garonne for more than 5 years (74.2%). 56.1% of the professionals worked in outpatient units, 37.4% in inpatient wards and 74.8% in adult psychiatry. This questionnaire revealed a strong need for training in forensic psychiatry. Indeed, 94.8% of respondents wanted to receive training in forensic psychiatry, which contrasts with the number of people who had already received training in this area (15.5% in initial training, 32.3% in continuing education). The results highlighted that the most common forensic situations encountered in daily clinical practice concerned areas where professionals considered their knowledge to be insufficient. In addition, the self-assessment scales used were able to highlight specific training topics that should be developed. ConclusionsThe results of this survey therefore establish a basis for making adjustments to future educational interventions involving forensic psychiatry, which, although it has only recently emerged in France, embraces issues that have always concerned the management of patients receiving psychiatric care.