The Prevalence, Causes, and Prevention Strategies of Medical Malpractice in Psychiatric Clinics

Overview

Malpractice in psychiatry is the failure of mental health professionals to meet accepted standards of care, resulting in harm to patients. While considered less risky than other specialties, the nature of psychiatry presents unique challenges and legal risks. This descriptive and cross-sectional study investigated the frequency, influencing factors, and attitudes regarding medical malpractice among psychiatrists, residents, and nurses in psychiatric clinics in Turkey. Data was collected online via snowball sampling.

This study was designed as a descriptive, cross-sectional investigation to examine experiences, perceptions, and attitudes related to medical malpractice in psychiatric practice in Turkey. Given the sensitive nature of malpractice-related experiences and the potential reluctance of healthcare professionals to disclose such information, an anonymous online data collection approach was employed. The study targeted healthcare professionals working in inpatient psychiatric settings and aimed to capture real-world experiences related to malpractice, including exposure to malpractice events, perceived contributing factors, and professional attitudes toward malpractice in psychiatric care. Data were collected using structured, researcher-developed questionnaires administered online. The instruments were designed to assess participants' demographic and professional characteristics, as well as their knowledge, attitudes, and observations regarding malpractice in psychiatric settings. To reduce response bias and encourage participation, questions were framed to focus on observed or experienced malpractice events rather than direct self-attribution. Due to the difficulty of accessing this population and the sensitivity of the topic, a non-probability snowball sampling approach was used. Participants who met the study criteria and consented to participate were invited to complete the online survey, and they were encouraged to share the survey with eligible colleagues. The study aimed to provide an overview of malpractice-related experiences in psychiatric clinics and to identify common themes and influencing factors that may inform future preventive strategies, professional training, and policy development in mental health care.