A Follow-up Interview of Patients Eight Years after Discharge from a Maximum Security Forensic Psychiatry Unit in Norway

Abstract

Research on the fate of patients after discharge from maximum security psychiatric care is scarce. Nonetheless, results indicate that readmission and reconviction rates are unacceptably high. Our research aimed to address three main issues: (1) to report findings from an eight-year follow-up of 125 patients discharged from a maximum security forensic unit (MSU) and to compare the results with studies from other countries; (2) to explore the feasibility and usefulness of face-to-face interviews (N= 38) as compared to using the traditional register-based follow-up method; and (3) to explore differences in psychosocial functioning from discharge to follow-up as a correlate of outcome. Findings replicated results from other research concerning rates of readmission, reconviction, and the strong association between substance abuse and the likelihood of being readmitted to the MSU. Despite methodological limitations, the face-to-face interview appeared to enhance access to significant clinical and psychosocial information. When compared with official records, patients’ self-report was reliable for violent crime, not reliable concerning petty crime, and significantly more accurate for crimes pertaining to illegal drugs. Being readmitted to the MSU predicted decreased GAF-score values (OR =−12.89), and living with family predicted increased GAF-score values (OR = 19.20) in the multivariate linear regression analysis.

Keywords:

• follow-up
• face-to face interview
• maximum security
• forensic psychiatry

Acknowledgments

We thank Bjørn Gunby, Carl Fredrik Haaland, Øyvind Holst, Aase Bente Rustad, and Bjørn Østberg for their support and valuable contributions.