The Ethics of Mandated Treatment

Prior to beginning work on this discussion forum, be certain to have read all the required resources for this week. The use of mandated, or legally coerced, treatment is widespread. Yet research demonstrating the efficacy of this type of treatment is limited, and mandating mental health treatment is one of the most contested issues in the field of psychology. To justify the continued use of mandated treatment, policymakers, practitioners, and researchers are obligated to demonstrate the effectiveness and limitations of such treatment programs.

You have been called in to consult on cases that may require mandated treatment. After reviewing the PSY699 The ethics of mandated treatment scenarios (Links to an external site.), choose two to discuss in your initial post. Begin your research with the required resources for this week. Using the specific situations presented in each of the scenarios you have chosen, conduct further research to help inform your recommendations for each individual. A minimum of one resource per scenario, beyond those already required for the assignment, must be included in your initial post.

In your post, construct clear and concise arguments using evidence-based psychological concepts and theories to present your recommendations as to whether or not treatment should be mandated for the individuals in each of the scenarios. As you write your recommendations, be certain to provide insights into the following questions. What are the ethical principles and implications raised by legally mandating clients into treatment?  What evidence exists regarding the effectiveness of treatment with and without coercion for this type of situation?  What would be the challenges in evaluating the effectiveness of mandated treatment?  How might mandated treatment impact your clinical decision making as the mental health professional assigned to these cases? What client factors might limit or augment the potential benefits of treatment if it were mandated?

Integrating concepts from your research and the required readings, offer insights across different content domains as to why you have reached these conclusions. Explain how you used the APA Ethical Code of Conduct to guide your decisions. Evaluate the generalizability of your specific research findings to the situations presented and provide a rationale as to why this research supports your recommendations.

https://www.apa.org/ethics/code/index