OBJECTIVE To identify and discuss ethical aspects of study design issues in psychiatric research. METHOD We conducted a literature review and conceptual analysis of study design in psychiatric research focusing on placebo, medication tapering and withdrawal (washout), and symptom provocation (challenge) designs. RESULTS While advances in the care and treatment of persons with psychiatric di...

TRIZ is an initiative and SERVQUAL is a structured methodology for quality improvement. Using these tools, inventive problem solving can be applied for quality improvement, and the highest quality can be reached using creative quality improvement methodology. The present study seeks to determine the priority of quality aspects of services provided for patients in the hospital as well as how TRI...

Objective This paper explores the Constructivist Grounded Theory research methodology informed by Charmaz (2006). Comparisons are drawn between the Constructivist Grounded Theory position and the ethical principles of Deontology, Utilitarian, Virtue ethics and fidelity that inform contemporary mental health nursing practice. Conclusions are made between the relative fit of the interpretivist na...

Assessment in mental health research has evolved from focusing on symptoms and diagnosis to addressing a broad range of change, including psychosocial functioning. This is consistent with developments in the areas of psychosocial rehabilitation and the increase in recovery-oriented intervention models for mental disorders. We reviewed the status of assessment in mental health research, providin...

The advent of psychotropic medications over half of a century ago heralded a sea change in the treatment of psychiatric illness. Psychopharmacologic and psychotherapeutic interventions have improved outcomes for millions of patients. However, despite this armamentarium of treatments, many patients do not achieve adequate benefit from these interventions. The brain is an electrochemical organ. W...

Psychiatric disorders disturb higher cognitive functions and severely compromise human health. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying psychiatric disorders are very complex, and understanding these mechanisms remains a great challenge. Currently, many psychiatric disorders are hypothesized to reflect "faulty wiring" or aberrant connectivity in the brains. Imaging connectomics is ...

Background Psychiatric advance directives (PADs) provide a legal means for competent individuals to refuse or consent to future mental health treatment during periods of decisional incapacity. Previous studies have shown high potential demand for PADs but low rates of completion in the United States, despite new laws authorizing PADs in over 20 states. This paper reports the results of the firs...

chronic arsenic poisoning (arsenicosis) is a global health risk, and it has been reported to improve the fitness, especially in altitudinal sickness in therapeutic dose. scarcity of systematic study on psychiatric co-morbidities in arsenicosis motivated us to conduct this research. the aim of this study was to estimate the co-morbid psychiatric disorders in patients with arsenicosis and to exam...